Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson , based on child development research. How do we rate?
age 13+
Likable video game comedy has guns, explosive action.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
-
Violence & Scariness
some
Large-scale, over-the-top video game-style violence: guns and shooting, explosions, car chases/crashes, fighting, characters on fire, etc. Characters are "killed" in the game. Main character's nose gets broken; small amount of blood shown. Characters take lots of falls, battering, crashes, etc. Character smashes computer servers with an ax.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Language
some
One use of "f--king." Sporadic uses of "s--t," "Scheisse" (German for "s--t"), "a--hole," "goddamn," "ass," "hell," "balls," "biatch," "screw it," "d--k," "idiot." A young girl says "waste that motherf----r," but there's a cut just at the "f" sound. Middle-finger gesture.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Sex, Romance & Nudity
a little
Kissing. Female NPC character is referred to as a "bombshell"; she wears a tight dress and says "you're so hot" to male players. Female character in tight leather pants. Character touches a bodybuilder's pectorals. Sexual innuendo and sex-related dialogue. Reference to losing virginity.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Products & Purchases
very little
Neutrogena brand mentioned. References to other Disney-owned franchises.
-
Positive Messages
some
Overall theme is about "finding something more" to life, which is left pretty vague, but supporting characters take idea of free will to heart, choosing to live outside of prescribed roles. Strong running themes of kindness and nonviolence, as seen in preference of peaceful video game over violent one, in valuing good deeds over acts of violence.
-
Positive Role Models
some
Guy pursues and achieves a dream. His decision to do good deeds in a game that celebrates violence is inspirational (he becomes an internet-famous hero). Molotov Girl is shown to be tough and independent. Antwan is viewed negatively for his thievery and love of profits above all else.
-
Diverse Representations
a little
Diverse group of actors, but the two main characters are White. Guy's Black best friend, Buddy, primarily functions to support Guy, rather than having his own motivations/story. Joke about White character being "full of White privilege." Supporting characters embrace idea of being able to live outside of game-defined roles: A "blonde bombshell" NPC, who was only in the game to be "arm candy" for male players, chooses not to have a boyfriend, and a barista decides to serve tea.
Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.
-
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Free Guy is a sci-fi/action comedy about Guy (Ryan Reynolds), a non-player character (NPC) in a video game, who finds a higher purpose. It's a tad formulaic and not very edgy (it copies ideas from many other movies), but it's quite likable and cheerful, with positive vibes and plenty of giggles. It's recommended for ages 13 and up. It contains giant-sized video game-type violence, with guns and shooting, explosions, car chases and crashes, fighting, and falling. The main character has a broken nose with some blood shown. Male and female characters kiss, a blonde "bombshell" NPC is shown off for her sex appeal (she's designed to be "arm candy"), and there's some sexual innuendo and sex-related dialogue. Language includes a use of "f--k," a near use of "motherf----r" (a well-placed cut saves the day), and some uses of "s--t," "ass," "goddamn," etc. There are some jokey references to other Disney-owned brands. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
-
1:07
-
-
-
-
Free Guy
- Parents say (67)
- Kids say (179)
age 13+
Based on 67 parent reviews
Written by Anonymous
September 26, 2021
age 15+
Great and funny but has bad language and violence
This movie is absolutely hilarious. It does start to say waste that mother f by a about nine year old. The main character has a goldfish named Goldie and says to him good f--king morning Goldie. It says a-s alot and s--t alot. It also has some inappropriate parts. One part mentions a joke saying a homesexual man was. murdering a child but the person he told this joke informed him that this joke was not ok But most if not all of it completely Flys over kids head. The violence is all video game and commidec. There is a kiss. But later in the movie one of the main characters says screw it and makes ou with the other main character
Ainslee Adult
February 23, 2022
age 18+
Inappropriate
Sadly, I’m used to movies having language which have sexual innuendo but this movie takes it over the top. What most concerned me was the scene where the somewhat nerdy gaming character who meets “Guy.” During these scenes the character talks about T-bagging other characters and the conversation in which the gaming character is talking to his mother in background. In this scene there is reference to a “special sock” and that if his mother touches it she will need therapy. These are the things that stick out to me but there may be more that I’m not recalling at the moment. I do not advise watching this movie.
Rate movie
See all 67 parent reviews
What's the Story?
In FREE GUY, Guy (Ryan Reynolds) is an NPC (non-player character) in a video game called Free City. He loves his life: He wakes up, says "good morning" to his goldfish, buys a coffee, and goes to work at the (frequently robbed) bank with his best pal, Buddy (Lil Rel Howery), and does it all again the next day. He doesn't know he's an NPC, but he still dreams of meeting someone special. Then, one day, he sees her: Molotov Girl (Jodie Comer). To spend more time with her, Guy steals a pair of glasses for himself and starts "leveling up," doing good deeds rather than perpetrating acts of violence. In the real world, Guy's acts become internet famous, prompting crooked game developer Antoine (Taika Waititi) to try to shut him -- and the game -- down. But Keys (Joe Keery), who developed a game that Antoine stole, thinks there's something more to Guy's behavior.
Is It Any Good?
Our review:
Parents say (67):
Kids say (179):
A tad formulaic and not quite as edgy as it might have been, Shawn Levy's video game comedy still gets by on an unwavering cheerfulness, unvarnished likability, and a steady stream of solid giggles. Reynolds is the real selling point of Free Guy. He avoids a repeat of his snarky, look-at-me Deadpool humor and nails a new kind of sweet naivete that's not unlike that of Will Ferrell in Elf or Jim Carrey in The Truman Show. Comer is also quite wonderful: Molotov Girl/Millie is a fully fleshed-out female co-lead rather than simply a romantic sidekick. They make a fantastic pair.
The movie's visual effects and production design effectively capture the specific feel of a Grand Theft Auto-like video game (albeit PG-13 rated), which is something most movies have so far failed to achieve. But bits and pieces do feel borrowed from many, many other movies. And Levy's careful, streamlined flow prevents Free Guy from ever becoming hugely outrageous, zany, or gut-bustingly funny. Perhaps all that wasn't necessary, however, to maintain the movie's sweetness. And -- similar to Ted Lasso's -- the movie's overall messages of kindness, nonviolence, and free choice are always refreshing.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Free Guy's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
What's the difference in the way the blonde "bombshell" character and a character like Molotov Girl are portrayed? How does the movie perceive each in terms of agency?
How does the movie replicate the feel of a video game? How are movies and video games the same? How are they different?
Is Guy a role model? Why are characters who are cheerful and positive-thinking so rare -- and so difficult to pull off?
Would you prefer to play a game like Life Itself, which is about beauty and watching characters grow, or Free City, which is about violence and destruction? Why?
Movie Details
- In theaters: August 13, 2021
- On DVD or streaming: October 12, 2021
- Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Taika Waititi, Joe Keery
- Director: Shawn Levy
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Indigenous actors, Polynesian/Pacific Islander actors
- Studio: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Run time: 115 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: strong fantasy violence throughout, language and crude/suggestive references
- Last updated: July 29, 2024
Inclusion information powered by 
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Free Guy
Suggest an Update
Your privacy is important to us. We won't share this comment without your permission. If you chose to provide an email address, it will only be used to contact you about your comment. See our privacy policy.
