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The premise: two city guys get into trouble with a mob boss (Christopher Walken) and, instead of being killed, they have to take an envelope to a man in the Australian outback for the mob boss. While in Australia, they run into a kangaroo and, naturally, since they believe it to be dead, put one of the guys’ jackets on it -- the jacket with the envelope full of cash -- in order to take their pictures with a dead kangaroo. Surprise, surprise, the supposedly dead kangaroo is not dead, just stunned. He wakes up and takes off into the outback, still wearing the jacket. The two guys, Charlie and Louis (played by Jerry O’Connell and Anthony Anderson), need to get the money back, or the mob boss will take care of them.
I was going along with the movie -- actually enjoying it, even -- when a few things happened that ruined the entire movie for me. I can get past the violence and killing references in the beginning because they’re not too “in your face.” But when Charlie is hallucinating in the desert and comes upon a pretty girl and he reaches out, grabs her breasts, and stands there for a moment or two, holding onto the girl -- that’s when the entire movie-going experience was ruined for me. I would even venture to say that most of the parents who had been laughing out loud before then were suddenly quiet -- and remained more subdued throughout the rest of the movie. These parents brought their children of all ages to a movie that they thought would be free from these things. I mean, think about it: a kangaroo steals some money, and two goofy characters try to get it back. And then BAM! -- un-called-for sexuality in what could have been a good family movie.
Again the movie-goer is left to wonder -- why can’t Hollywood make a family picture that you can actually take your family to without being uncomfortable?
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