The Waterboy (1998) Parents Guide: Is the movie OK for kids?
Age Rating, Sex, Violence & Language
Bobby Boucher is a water boy for a struggling college football team. The coach discovers Boucher's hidden rage makes him a tackling machine whose bone-crushing power might vault his team into the playoffs.
Rated PG-13 • 1998 • 1h 30m
The Waterboy received its PG-13 rating primarily for extensive comedic but bone-crushing violence and some crude sexual innuendo. The film centers on Bobby Boucher, a socially awkward man who is relentlessly bullied, and whose suppressed rage is channeled into becoming a football star. Parents should be aware of frequent slapstick football violence played for laughs, numerous suggestive jokes and comments from the character Vicki… Sign up for the full guide
Cast
Is The Waterboy appropriate for kids?
The Waterboy received its PG-13 rating primarily for extensive comedic but bone-crushing violence and some crude sexual innuendo. The film centers on Bobby Boucher, a socially awkward man who is relentlessly bullied, and whose suppressed rage is channeled into becoming a… Read more — free account
Content severity in The Waterboy
What happens in The Waterboy, moment by moment
- 0:08 🔥 Mature Themes 5/10
- 0:12 ⚔ Violence & Gore 3/10
- 0:21 ⚔ Violence & Gore 5/10
Sex and nudity in The Waterboy
Contains moderate crude humor and sexual innuendo. The character Vicki Vallencourt makes several suggestive comments to the naive Bobby. In one scene, she shows him a tattoo of a devil located on her upper buttock (no nudity is shown). There are other brief jokes about anatomy and flirtatious behavior, but no explicit content.
Violence and gore in The Waterboy
Violence is frequent but highly comedic and cartoonish. The central premise involves Bobby delivering extremely forceful, "bone-crushing" football tackles, which are accompanied by loud sound effects but no blood or gore. He also tackles a professor and other characters outside of the game when angered. The film's entire violent content is slapstick in nature.
Language in The Waterboy
Language is relatively mild for a PG-13 film. Expect occasional use of terms like "ass," "hell," "damn," and a single use of "asshole." Slurs related to intelligence and social skills are used frequently as part of the bullying theme.
Drugs, alcohol, and smoking in The Waterboy
Substance use is minimal. Characters are briefly seen drinking beer at a party in one scene. A coach is also implied to be drinking alcohol from a personal container, but this is not a focus.
Mature themes in The Waterboy
The most significant mature theme is bullying; Bobby is constantly and cruelly mocked for his stutter and perceived low intelligence. There is also a strong theme of parental emotional manipulation, as Bobby's mother lies to him extensively to control his life. Other themes include managing anger and dealing with parental abandonment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Waterboy appropriate for kids?
Bontent's parent guide suggests The Waterboy is best for ages 13+. It's rated PG-13. The Waterboy received its PG-13 rating primarily for extensive comedic but bone-crushing violence and some crude sexual innuendo. The film centers on Bobby Boucher, a socially awkward man who is relentlessly bullied…
What age rating does The Waterboy have?
The Waterboy is officially rated PG-13. Bontent's independent parent guide recommends it for ages 13+.
What is The Waterboy about?
The Waterboy received its PG-13 rating primarily for extensive comedic but bone-crushing violence and some crude sexual innuendo. The film centers on Bobby Boucher, a socially awkward man who is relentlessly bullied, and whose suppressed rage is channeled into becoming a football star. Parents should be aware of…
Is there sex or nudity in The Waterboy?
Contains moderate crude humor and sexual innuendo. The character Vicki Vallencourt makes several suggestive comments to the naive Bobby. In one scene, she shows him a tattoo of a devil located on her upper buttock (no nudity is shown). There are other brief…
How violent is The Waterboy?
Violence is frequent but highly comedic and cartoonish. The central premise involves Bobby delivering extremely forceful, "bone-crushing" football tackles, which are accompanied by loud sound effects but no blood or gore. He also tackles a professor and other…
Is the language in The Waterboy appropriate for kids?
Language is relatively mild for a PG-13 film. Expect occasional use of terms like "ass," "hell," "damn," and a single use of "asshole." Slurs related to intelligence and social skills are used frequently as part of the bullying theme.
Are drugs, alcohol, or smoking shown in The Waterboy?
Substance use is minimal. Characters are briefly seen drinking beer at a party in one scene. A coach is also implied to be drinking alcohol from a personal container, but this is not a focus.
What mature themes appear in The Waterboy?
The most significant mature theme is bullying; Bobby is constantly and cruelly mocked for his stutter and perceived low intelligence. There is also a strong theme of parental emotional manipulation, as Bobby's mother lies to him extensively to control his…
How long is The Waterboy?
The Waterboy runs 90 minutes, directed by Frank Coraci, released in 1998.
Where can I read the full The Waterboy parent guide?
Create a free Bontent account to unlock the full scene-by-scene notes, filter by your kids' ages, and save titles to your personal watchlist.
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