The Roommate Parent Guide
Certain to haunt the dusty discount shelves of video stores for years to come, "The Roommate" will likely move out of the limelight by the end of this semester.
Parent Movie Review
They say Hollywood is becoming more environmentally friendly. After seeing The Roommate I have no doubt this is true. Every aspect of this movie is recycled from dozens of previously created horror movies about young girls attending universities where there must be a requirement to have a cover girl figure or you need not apply.
Starting the stampede of stereotypes is the small town girl from the Midwest who arrives in the big city to study at the fictitious Los Angeles University. No sooner does Sara (Minka Kelly) get her suitcase unpacked when down-the-hall girl Tracy (Alyson Michalka) shows up and demands she come and party hearty. Off to the frat house they go, where sweet Sara doesn’t know the punch is spiked and Tracy pulls up her shirt for all the boys to see (we are blocked from the full view). In this nest of mayhem, we meet Stephen (Cam Gigandet), a smooth talking nice guy who we know will be saving Sara’s life before the end of the movie.
Arising late the next day with a horrendous hangover, Sara finally meets Rebecca (Leighton Meester), her roommate. She immediately exhibits obvious signs of being evil: she’s rich, comes from Beverly Hills (a reported 20 minute drive from the dorm) and she hates her parents. The script also wastes no time implying she’s likely certifiably psychotic in other ways too, like the very cold, hard stare she gives Tracy on their first introduction.
Next, we have the obligatory sexy girl in the shower scene—a sure indication something bad is about to happen. The camera manages to photograph Tracy’s body in every PG-13 acceptable angle, including her navel ring, which is forcibly removed by her attacker.
Strangely Tracy never calls the campus cops or anyone else about the incident. She just simply moves to another address. But we know Rebecca isn’t done. Her instant and unmotivated possessiveness for Sara boils over again when Sara’s off-campus friend, Irene (Danneel Harris), invites her to move in and leave the dorm life behind. And then there’s the naughty design teacher, Professor Roberts (Billy Zane), who exchanges kisses with students. He should be old enough to know when he’s dealing with a zombie girl who is going to turn his life into a nightmare.
Squarely targeted at teen audiences dreaming of a post secondary experience as exciting as this one, The Roommate offers very little scare, or intelligence, for your dollars. Physical altercations often involve weapons, such as a knife and a gun. These depictions include some blood effects and result in injuries and death. In one scene, a girl bruises and cuts herself in what amounts to a desperate act of wanting attention. A kitten also becomes part of the murderous plot after it’s placed in a laundry dryer. And, typical for portrayals of campus life in the movies, these characters are quick to engage in heterosexual and homosexual relationships—although no details are seen onscreen, As well, alcohol is appears to be a main food group. Frequent profanities, scatological expletives and terms of deity pepper the script.
Certain to haunt the dusty discount shelves of video stores for years to come, The Roommate will likely move out of the limelight by the end of this semester.
Directed by Christian E. Christiansen . Starring Minka Kelly, Leighton Meester, Cam Gigandet. Running time: 91 minutes. Theatrical release February 4, 2011. Updated July 17, 2017
The Roommate
Rating & Content Info
Why is The Roommate rated PG-13? The Roommate is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for violence and menace, sexual content, some language and teen partying.
Violence: A female student is attacked in a shower by another student who forcibly removes her navel ring. A woman bruises herself and cuts her abdomen. A woman is seen tied to a bed and it is implied she has been forcibly confined for some time. During a physical altercation a gun is fired multiple times and a knife is used resulting in characters being stabbed -- one fatally. A kitten is placed in a clothes dryer and we later learn it was killed. A woman pierces her ears with earrings -- a drop of blood is seen.Sexual Content: A male teacher kisses a female student after offering her a trip to Paris. He later accepts the sexual advances of another female student. A man and woman engage in sexual activity, no explicit nudity or sounds are included. A woman talks to a man on the phone, and it is implied she pleasures herself while doing so. Two women kiss in a public restroom and one invites the other back to her place. An intoxicated woman pulls her shirt up and exposes her breasts at a frat house party (no explicit nudity is seen).
Language: Profanities throughout include scatological expletives, terms of deity and other mild terms.
Drugs/Alcohol: Campus parties and clubs are depicted with heavy alcohol consumption resulting in drunken behavior. A woman takes pills offered to her without asking or confirming what they are.
Page last updated July 17, 2017
The Roommate Parents' Guide
This university campus is depicted as having a priority on drinking and sex, while little emphasis is placed on education. Is this a common depiction of college life in movies? How does this compare with your own post secondary experiences?
Home Video
The most recent home video release of The Roommate movie is May 17, 2011. Here are some details…
The Roommate releases on DVD and Blu-ray in May 17, 2011, with the following bonus materials:
- Commentary with Director Christian E. Christiansen
- Alternate Opening Sequence
- Deleted Scenes
The Roommate on Blu-ray also includes these extras:
- Obsession: The Making of The Roommate
- The Roommate: Next Generation of Stars
- Dressing Dangerously
- movieIQ®+sync
Related home video titles:
College is less threatening but still life changing for two roommates who pool their skills and resources to launch The Social Network known as Facebook. Prep students are introduced to unconventional teaching methods that challenge them to become freethinkers in Dead Poets Society.