Year One (2009) Parents Guide: Is the movie OK for kids?
Age Rating, Sex, Violence & Language
When a couple of lazy hunter-gatherers are banished from their primitive village, they set off on an epic journey through the ancient world.
Rated PG-13 • 2009 • 1h 37m
Year One earns its PG-13 rating primarily for pervasive crude and sexual content, which serves as the film's main comedic engine. This prehistoric and biblical parody follows Zed and Oh as they encounter frequent jokes about sodomy, erections, circumcision, and masturbation. The film also contains moments of surprisingly harsh comic violence, including a man being bludgeoned to death with a rock and an attempted human sacrifice… Sign up for the full guide
Cast
Is Year One appropriate for kids?
Year One earns its PG-13 rating primarily for pervasive crude and sexual content, which serves as the film's main comedic engine. This prehistoric and biblical parody follows Zed and Oh as they encounter frequent jokes about sodomy, erections, circumcision, and masturbation. The… Read more — free account
Content severity in Year One
What happens in Year One, moment by moment
- 0:05 ⚔ Violence & Gore 6/10
- 0:09 🔥 Mature Themes 3/10
- 0:18 ⚔ Violence & Gore 7/10
Sex and nudity in Year One
Pervasive and strong sexual humor is the film's defining feature. There are constant crude jokes and visual gags referencing erections (a character states his "brain blood went down to my boner"), masturbation, oral sex (a woman eats a banana suggestively), and sodomy (particularly during the section in Sodom). Other topics include circumcision and menstruation. It is all played for comedy, but the quantity and crudeness of the sexual material is high.
Violence and gore in Year One
Violence is comic but features some moderate and occasionally harsh moments. In a key scene, Cain bludgeons his brother Abel to death with a rock; the act is shown repeatedly. During a hunt, a man is accidentally speared in the back, and the bloody spearhead is seen. A large battle at the end of the film includes stabbings, and an implied decapitation where a helmeted head falls to the ground. Characters are also threatened with being stoned to death and being thrown into a pit of fire.
Language in Year One
Moderate to strong language is present. There is one use of "f--k" shouted in frustration. Other profanity is used throughout, including multiple uses of "s--t," "ass," "bitch," "cock," and "dick."
Drugs, alcohol, and smoking in Year One
Substance use is mild. During a party sequence in the city of Sodom, characters are shown drinking what appears to be wine. In the same scene, Zed and Oh are seen smoking from a large pipe, with the implication being that it contains a drug like cannabis.
Mature themes in Year One
Mature themes from the Book of Genesis are treated with irreverence and comedy. The plot involves banishment, murder (Cain killing Abel), slavery (the main characters are captured and sold as slaves), and attempted human sacrifice (Abraham and Isaac; virgins being offered to the gods in Sodom). The film satirizes religious figures and stories, which may be a concern for some families.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Year One appropriate for kids?
Bontent's parent guide suggests Year One is best for ages 13+. It's rated PG-13. Year One earns its PG-13 rating primarily for pervasive crude and sexual content, which serves as the film's main comedic engine. This prehistoric and biblical parody follows Zed and Oh as they encounter frequent jokes…
What age rating does Year One have?
Year One is officially rated PG-13. Bontent's independent parent guide recommends it for ages 13+.
What is Year One about?
Year One earns its PG-13 rating primarily for pervasive crude and sexual content, which serves as the film's main comedic engine. This prehistoric and biblical parody follows Zed and Oh as they encounter frequent jokes about sodomy, erections, circumcision, and masturbation. The film also contains moments of…
Is there sex or nudity in Year One?
Pervasive and strong sexual humor is the film's defining feature. There are constant crude jokes and visual gags referencing erections (a character states his "brain blood went down to my boner"), masturbation, oral sex (a woman eats a banana suggestively)…
How violent is Year One?
Violence is comic but features some moderate and occasionally harsh moments. In a key scene, Cain bludgeons his brother Abel to death with a rock; the act is shown repeatedly. During a hunt, a man is accidentally speared in the back, and the bloody spearhead…
Is the language in Year One appropriate for kids?
Moderate to strong language is present. There is one use of "f--k" shouted in frustration. Other profanity is used throughout, including multiple uses of "s--t," "ass," "bitch," "cock," and "dick."
Are drugs, alcohol, or smoking shown in Year One?
Substance use is mild. During a party sequence in the city of Sodom, characters are shown drinking what appears to be wine. In the same scene, Zed and Oh are seen smoking from a large pipe, with the implication being that it contains a drug like cannabis.
What mature themes appear in Year One?
Mature themes from the Book of Genesis are treated with irreverence and comedy. The plot involves banishment, murder (Cain killing Abel), slavery (the main characters are captured and sold as slaves), and attempted human sacrifice (Abraham and Isaac; virgins…
How long is Year One?
Year One runs 97 minutes, directed by Harold Ramis, released in 2009.
Where can I read the full Year One 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.
Parents also checked these movies for 13-year-olds
Sign up to filter
Movies like Year One with similar intensity
Sign up to filter
Less intense movies for families
Sign up to filter
More comedy movies with parent guides
- Interstellar parent guide
- Inception parent guide
- The Avengers parent guide
- Avatar parent guide
- Deadpool parent guide
- Avengers: Infinity War parent guide
- Pulp Fiction parent guide
- Forrest Gump parent guide
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone parent guide
- Guardians of the Galaxy parent guide
- Iron Man parent guide
- Avengers: Endgame parent guide
More movies with Bontent parent guides
- Sullivan's Travels parent guide
- Science Fiction Volume One: The Osiris Child parent guide
- The Layover parent guide
- Planet Hulk parent guide
- Ophelia parent guide
- Marvel One-Shot: All Hail the King parent guide
- Full Speed parent guide
- Ruby Red parent guide
- Barbie Presents: Thumbelina parent guide
- Day Watch parent guide
- Them parent guide
- Friends with Money parent guide
- Don't Worry, I'm Fine parent guide
- Lifted parent guide
- Those Happy Days parent guide
- The Night Before the Exams parent guide