Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW

Just Visiting

MPA Rating: PG-13

Reviewed by: Eric Schmidt
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Average
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Teen to Adult
Genre: Comedy
Length: 1 hr. 28 min.
Year of Release: 2001
USA Release: April 6, 2001
Relevant Issues
Christina Applegate and Jean Reno in Just Visiting
Featuring Jean Reno, Christian Clavier, Christina Applegate, Malcolm McDowell, Tara Reid
Director Jean-Marie Poire
Producer John Hughes
Distributor Hollywood Pictures

“Just Visiting” is a film in which Thibault, a 12th Century knight (Jean Reno) and his clumsy servant Andre (Christian Clavier) are accidentally transported forward in time into modern-day Chicago. The wizard who mistakenly did this had only meant to send Thibault a few minutes back in time, so that he could save his bride-to-be whom he accidentally killed.

Jean Reno and Christian Clavier in “Just Visiting” In Chicago, Thibault meets his great-great-great… granddaughter (Christina Applegate), who at first thinks that he is a relative believed to have recently died in an accident and is suffering from amnesia. Slowly, she comes to believe his story, much to the dismay of her boyfriend Hunter.

From a Christian perspective, the film does not heavily offend. However, the presence of witchcraft may worry some parents. One particularly frightening scene of witchcraft is when Thibault is given a potion by an evil sorceress which causes everybody to look like a disgusting conglomeration of fruit. WARNING: This scene is extremely graphic for a PG-13 movie. Had I been the director, I would have tamed it down extremely.

The only other caution that parents might have about the film is that the boyfriend Hunter is actually juggling two girlfriends at once, and refers to them in ways that most women may find insulting (such as “Bunny”).

“Just Visiting” is chock full of disgusting humor, such as when, at a dinner in a fancy restaurant, the servant Andre proceeds to show off his flatulance (this was custom in the 12th Century, I suppose). Another scene as such is where Andre visits the men’s room, picks up the soap in the urinal, and proceeds to eat it.

don’t waste your money on this disgusting and ridiculously conceived movie. Instead, go to a film where you will leave the theater refreshed. Tom Hank’s “Cast Away” or another such film would be much more worth your time.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
I saw this movie with a bunch of my friends and we all enjoyed it immensely. I laughed so hard I thought I was going to fall out of my seat. This movie is pretty clean except for wizards and witches and some crude behavior expressed by the peasant, Andre. Other than that this movie was quite enjoyable and very funny!
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 3]
Tara, age 16
My wife, daughter (13) and I wanted to see a movie and we took a chance on this one. Not only was this a great movie but it was one that could be enjoyed by all the family! The only objectionable scene was where too much cleavage was being shown. The story is quite charming and witty. Even though far-fetched with the time travel and all (they are magically transported by a wizard). There are a few scenes where the servant Tito, displays crude behaviors in a restaurant—but it is totally in context given the possible background of someone in the 13th century. Unlike the crude attempts at humor in this modern era displayed only for a laugh (ie Jim Carey’s humor) The characters are very likeable and all play their parts very well. And in the end the story gets neatly wrapped up and you are left feeling good about the movie and the money you spent seeing it. Go see this one!
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 5]
James, age 40
I saw “Just Visiting” yesterday and was neither impressed or not impressed with the film. It will more than likely, a few months after being released on video, become one of those films without a large following that sits on the shelf at Blockbuster for years before someone checks it out. From a Christian perspective, the film was relatively clean. There was minimal profanity, but I would not take anybody younger than 10 to it, due to a frightening scene in the beginning where the main knight is giving a potion in which everybody looks like a disgusting conglomeration of fruit (Really!) The result is surprisingly graphic and extremely disgusting, and could very well scare younger kids (It did me!)
My Ratings: [Average / 2]
Anonymous, age 13
This movie was downright hillarious! I thought the writers did a fantastic job of making them not know of todays technology. There are some objectionable things in there… like a witch and a dragon at the beginning. And they use magical powers to go forward and back in time. But that’s part of the plot, how else would you send a knight to 2001? But this is a really funny movie. (Warning, if you take kids younger than 7, cover his/her eyes when the knight drinks the potion. Everyone looks like they’re monsters so he’ll get scared)
My Ratings: [SLIGHTLY Objectionable / 3½]
Davie, age 13
Movie Critics
…no sex scenes or nudity, but unmarried Julia and Hunter are shown in the same bed a few times…
Preview Family Movie and TV Review
…several uses of the “s” word, while some other expletives and colorful phrases also occur…
ScreenIt!
…a perfectly likable fish-out-of-water comedy, but the wall-to-wall, over-the-top physical slapstick wears thin in a hurry…
Loren King, Chicago Tribune