MovieChat Forums > The Family Plan (2023) Discussion > Trailer impression - A PG13 family actio...

Trailer impression - A PG13 family action comedy.

posted a year ago by Filmtenk2 (4066)
6 replies | jump to latest

An R rating for any film does not automatically equal good, but PG13 action movies have far more misses than hits. The Bourne series, Bond films, and Mission Impossible movies know how to pull it off for the most part.

Speaking of Tom Cruise, the PG13 rated Edge of Tomorrow was one of the best sci-fi movies of its decade, but like the above mentioned films not a comedy.

Based on the trailer it may be more appropriate to compare The Family Plan to 2010's Knight and Day, an action/romantic comedy, also staring Cruise, also rated PG13. I initially dismissed Knight when I saw the trailer but long after its theatrical run watching on stream I may have unfairly judged the book by its cover. Though still not my cup of tea (I prefer grittier, hard-hitting action) Knight had some compensating elements such as Cruises' bat shit protagonist and entertaining stunts.

The Family Plan, like Knight and Day, is probably not for me. There's no way to make family action comedy gritty and hard-hitting. This isn't the kind of movie where they kill off one of the children to raise the stakes.

But will it have any compensating elements?

The chemistry between Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Monaghan will be key. I'm not a Wahlberg hater even though it may be cool to dislike him these days. He has proven comedic talent (The Other Guys, Ted) and action movie bona fides (not including the unforgivable Max Pain). Monaghan makes everything she's in better. But how much can this PG13 screenplay push the envelope of a romantic relationship between a married couple when their kids are within earshot?

I have serious doubts but I'm not rooting for this movie to fail. Maybe like Knight and Day the stunts will be impressive on a technical level even if the squibs burst out dust instead of a bloody mist. Wahlberg may be facing diminishing returns in his career so a safe family film on AppleTV might be wise move. Monaghan has much yet to offer her craft and hope if she's going to cash in it doesn't mean she's cashing out.

[–] Kowalski (76319) a year ago

FAIR ENOUGH...ONE QUESTION...WHY DOES THE FILM HAVE TO BE "GRITTY & HARD HITTING" OR "PUSH THE ENVELOPE"?

[–] Filmtenk2 (4066) a year ago

It doesn't have to be those things but they're what I would prefer. I realize I'm not the target audience and adding those things would probably make it less palatable for the mainstream and therefore less successful. Though how Apple defines success is different than a traditional studio. This movie is being released straight to Appletv+ so we may never know how it performs.

Gross Point Blank is an example of a romantic dark comedy that hit these notes.

[–] Kowalski (76319) a year ago

GROSSE POINTE BLANK IS AWESOME...I LOVE THAT FLICK.

[–] Filmtenk2 (4066) a year ago

Right on.

[–] Kowalski (76319) a year ago

YOU ARE RIGHT TOO...THERE IS A LOT LEDD ADULT ORIENTED YET "FAMILY FRIENDLY" CONTENT THESE DAYS....YOU GET R AND GRITTY OR PG-13 AND STERILE...AS A PHYSICAL MEDIA LOVER AND COLLECTOR I CAN SAY...THANKS FUCKING STREAMING...EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN SCREEN AND THEIR OWN PROGRAMMING MADE EXPRESSLY FOR THEM...THE DAYS OF SHARING ENTERTAINMENT ARE OVER.

[–] Filmtenk2 (4066) a year ago

We lose something without physical media. We gain something too. Pluses and minuses. I liked collecting DVDs and going to someone's place and looking at their DVD library. I liked owning it for good. I don't foresee going back to collecting but I hope it never dies. Not sure where that's trending and if enough ppl are buying dvd players and Bluerays.