200 Cigarettes

MPAA Rating: R

Entertainment: +1 1/2

Content: -4

Its New Years Eve 1981 and everyone is looking for a date in 200 Cigarettes. One girl is throwing a party, but no one is showing up, and two teenage girls are wandering the streets trying to find out directions to the party. A guy and his platonic girlfriend are spending the evening together in bars lamenting their romantic situation. Another couple who just met the night before is breaking up, because he is obsessed with what made her give up her virginity on their first date. And the bartender (Ben Afleck) is the heartthrob of several girls, most of whom are just trying to avoid sleeping alone on New Years Eve. This wandering and disjointed plot finally brings all seekers together at the previously unattended party, but the host has already passed out drunk and misses the revelry. 200 CIGARETTES is as aimless as the peoples lives it represents and will probably not have a very successful box office run.

One of the characters says, Life is ridiculous and demeaning which sums up the film. Sexual activity and innuendo fill the screen from beginning to end. And the 61 f and s words average out to one every other minute. Two platonic friends talk about having sex just so the guy could prove he is a good lover. Trying unsuccessfully twice to have intercourse in a public restroom, she puts a stop to it because she is tired of the countless years of meaningless sex. They end up in bed together, however, at the end of the movie. Other sexual material includes one graphic scene of sexual intercourse and many other scenes of implied intercourse. The only decent virgin in the film is portrayed as klutzy, dopey, and nave. These examples represent only a portion of the overwhelming message in this film that premarital sex is acceptable. For a film, which is obviously intended for older teenage and young adult audiences, to represent modern sexuality in this manner is nothing short of irresponsible and degrading to the human condition.

Preview Reviewer: Cliff McNeely
Distributor: Paramount Pictures, 5555 Melrose Ave., L.A. CA 90038

Summary
The following categories contain objective listings of film content which contribute to the subjective numeric Content ratings posted to the left and on the Home page.

Crude Language: Several (7) times - Mild 3, Moderate 4

Obscene Language: Many (64) times (f word 40, s word 21, other 3)

Profanity: Many (36) times - Regular 13 (G 1, G-d 3, J 6 For C sake 2, Oh J 1) Exclamatory 23 (Oh God 6, Oh my God 17)

Violence: None

Sex: Once (with male rear nudity and sexual sounds); Implied: Several times (many persons end up having sex, couple attempt intercourse in public restroom)

Nudity: Once (male rear nudity); Near Nudity: Several times (women in tight revealing clothing and lingerie)

Sexual Dialogue/Gesture: Many times (references to female genitals, sex for the fun of it, sexual promiscuity, guy being a ineffective lover, sex techniques, losing virginity, having sex in cab, men looking for female breasts and necrophilia; man dared to have sex, jokes about reproductive eggs and woman having male genitals, negative reference to monogamy

Drugs: Drunkenness and cigarette smoking throughout, marijuana smoking twice

Other: Meaningless view of life, virginity seen as backward and nave, teens participate in drinking and sex with young adults, very seedy and sleazy setting throughout film

Running Time: 95 minutes
Intended Audience: Older teenagers and young adults

Click HERE for a PRINTER-FRIENDLY version of this review.