Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW

Rumor Has It

also known as “The Graduate II”
MPA Rating: PG-13-Rating (MPA) for mature thematic material, sexual content, crude humor and a drug reference.

Reviewed by: Taran Gingery
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Very Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Adults
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sequel
Length: 1 hr. 36 min.
Year of Release: 2005
USA Release: December 25, 2005 (wide)
Copyright, Warner Bros. Copyright, Warner Bros. Copyright, Warner Bros. Copyright, Warner Bros. Copyright, Warner Bros. Copyright, Warner Bros. Copyright, Warner Bros.
Relevant Issues
Copyright, Warner Bros.

For a follower of Christ, what is LOVE—a feeling, an emotion, or an action?

What is true love and how do you know when you have found it?

Sex, Love and Relationships
Learn how to make your love the best it can be. Christian answers to questions about sex, marriage, sexual addictions, and more. Valuable resources for Christian couples, singles and pastors.

How can I deal with temptations? Answer

Should I save sex for marriage? Answer

How far is too far? What are the guidelines for dating relationships? Answer

What are the consequences of sexual immorality? Answer

Featuring Jennifer Aniston, Mena Suvari, Kevin Costner, Charlie Hunnam, Shirley MacLaine, Mark Ruffalo, Greta Scacchi, Lesley Ann Warren, Mike Vogel, Christopher McDonald, Terrie Snell
Director Rob Reiner
Producer Michael I. Rachmil, Ben Cosgrove, Jennifer Fox
Distributor Distributor: Warner Brothers Pictures. Trademark logo.Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company

“Based on a true rumor.”

Copyrighted, Warner Bros.

Visiting her family in Pasadena has never been very easy for Sarah Huttinger (Jennifer Aniston), who has never really felt like she fits in with them. Her hair color, her tastes, her manner, even her driving habits all differ from her family. So, as she flies to her sister’s wedding, one can imagine the tension she is feeling. What’s worse, she is traveling with her new fiance Jeff (Mark Ruffalo), about whom she is beginning to have doubts and fears. But things are about to get much worse.

At home, she learns that before her parents’ wedding, her recently deceased mother had gotten a bad case of the jitters and had disappeared in Mexico for a short time, where she had a small affair with her old school friend, Beau Burroughs and that she had given birth to Sarah only 8 months after the wedding. To Sarah, this means that maybe she isn’t really the daughter of Earl Huttinger (Richard Jenkins) after all, but really the daughter of Mr. Burroughs (Kevin Costner). Sarah sets out to find Beau and discover the truth of her identity, and how her family seems somehow connected to the plot of the movie “The Graduate”.

“Rumor Has It…” contains some good things, but they are overshadowed by condoned immorality. Sarah and Jeff share an intimate life before marriage, and at one point try to have sex in a toilet stall on the plane, although they don’t succeed. Sex is also implied between Sarah and another character, although nothing is seen except for her bare back as she gets dressed. Crude references to masturbation, condoms, and “blunt testicular trauma,” as well as much profanity and taking of the Lord’s name in vain, also mar the dialogue.

However, the film shows that it is very dangerous to jump to conclusions and act without thinking, and it encourages the audience to do interesting, fun things every so often—or life becomes “just a bunch of Thursdays.” It also demonstrates the power of love and the importance of forgiveness in a relationship, in both Sarah and in her father. Thus, this movie is only for adults and mature teens who enjoy a generally light-hearted, romantic comedy with some fairly funny moments and a feel-good ending and who can ignore the immoral messages and discern the moral ones.

Violence: None / Profanity: Heavy / Sex/Nudity: Heavy

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Negative—This movie promotes a very liberal lifestyle. The main characters treat sex as just a casual thing. The language was pretty mild, but then at the end, the writers found it necessary to take God’s name in vain . Overall, the acting wasn’t bad, just the story line. Would not recommend this movie to others.
My Ratings: Offensive / 3
Jerry Tobias, age 45
Negative—I was extremely offended by this movie. So much so that I even left the theater about 45 min into it. While I didn’t see the movie to its conclusion, there was a LOT of sexual innuendo and language, and just plain sexual immorality (including fornication). I was really disgusted! Hollywood at a very low point!
My Ratings: Extremely Offensive / 2½
Karla, age 19
Negative—Sadly, I did not check out the reviews on this movie before seeing it, nor had I seen the trailers, and I did not know it had anything to do with the old movie, “The Graduate.” If I had, I wouldn’t have gone. That’s why this site is so important to use, rather than going to the movies on the “spur of the moment” like I did last night. Of course, the movie is all about sex—over and over again—across generations—all presented like it’s so very “normal” to behave this way.
My Ratings: Very Offensive / 2
Kris Taranec, age 46
Negative—Sadly, I did not check out the reviews on this movie before seeing it, nor had I seen the trailers, and I did not know it had anything to do with the old movie, “The Graduate.” If I had, I wouldn’t have gone.

That’s why this site is so important to use, rather than going to the movies on the “spur of the moment” like I did last night. Of course, the movie’s all about sex—over and over again—across generations—all presented like it’s so very “normal” to behave this way.
My Ratings: Very Offensive / 2
Kris Taranec, age 46
Negative—This is one time I wished I had checked the site before going to the movies. This movie is very inappropriate for anyone of any age. Hollywood is trying to make sex as casual as going out to dinner. The movie is based on a man who has slept with 3 generations of women. How preverted and sick!!!
My Ratings: Extremely Offensive / 3
Gloria, age 41
Comments from young people
Negative—I have not seen this movie. I just saw the preview… I would like to warn people, expecially people with kids-DON’T SEE IT! The preview gave a good insight into what the story was about (a guy who is intimate with 3 generations of women: grandma, mom, and daughter). I would not of wanted my little brother and sister to see the preview even. From what I saw, the characters treat pre-marital sex as something normal, except in extreme situations (like this one).

I would not feel comfortable watching it at all, and even though things like this might happen in the world, we are supposed to be different, remember?
Stephanie, age 14
Movie Critics
…this film’s bad… “Rumor Has It” does not even rise to the level of trivially pleasant romantic comedy. …
Associated Press, David Germain
…Saccharine-coated consequences of promiscuity… this movie flounders where THE GRADUATE succeeds, replacing the wit and provocative outcome of its predecessor with nauseating Romantic sentimentality and a soft-soap conclusion…
Justin Loudermilk, Movieguide
…A big part of the problem is that nearly all the characters grow less likable the more we get to know them… five uses of Jesus’ and God’s names for swearing…
Plugged In, Christopher Lyon
…There’s too much setup here, too much stereotyping, too little cleverness or even genuine humor…
San Diego Metropolitan, Jean Lowerison
…Ms. Aniston… performs in a constant state of whiney agitation… wildly uneven screenplay…
The Dallas Morning News, Philip Wuntch
…why would Rob Reiner… think he had the sophisticated comedic chops to pull something like this off? It’s like watching someone in oven mitts trying to crack a safe. He’s not getting in. And we feel like we’re never getting out. …
Newsday, John Anderson