Story
As a young child, Burt Wonderstone is a loner who is bullied by his peers at school. Burt’s life changes when he is given a ‘Rance Holloway’ magic kit for his birthday. He develops a passion for performing magic tricks, which he believes will make him more popular. Burt teams up with another outcast, Anton Marvelton, who also has a passion for magic tricks and the two young magicians form a partnership.
Thirty years later Burt (Steve Carell) and Anton (Steve Buscemi) are aging magician superstars, who perform in their own theatre in a Las Vegas Hotel. Unfortunately their act is outdated, and they are threatened by the new magician on the block – ‘street magician’ Steve Gray (Jim Carrey). Gray has his own internet show called ‘Mind Rapist’ and performs magic involving outrageous stunts. Dwindling audience numbers lead hotel owner Doug Munny (James Gandolfini) to give Burt and Anton an ultimatum – change with the times and modernise their show for a younger audience, or be fired. Unfortunately, Burt can’t cope with the challenge of changing the act and the partnership ends.
Burt’s attempt to go solo fails miserably, and he quickly becomes destitute. Luckily, Burt’s life takes a turn for the better when he lands a job entertaining residents in an old people’s home. Here he runs into his childhood hero Rance Holloway (Alan Arkin).
Themes
Magic; self-mutilation; change and ageing
Violence
This movie has scenes of school bullying, some slapstick violence, reckless stunts and self-mutilation. For example:
Sexual references
This movie has sexual references and innuendoes throughout. For example:
- Burt tells his assistant that he has a new bed that easily sleeps two dozen people. He then asks her if she would like to see it naked and have sex with him. When she refuses, he asks her if she is a lesbian and says that he has slept with lots of lesbians.
- During a performance, Steve Gray provokes a man in the audience, saying that the man’s mother was a whore.
- A part of a stunt, Burt is placed in a plastic container that is raised up into the air. He says, ‘I just realised that I won’t be having sex for a week’.
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
This movie shows some use of substances. For example:
- In a flashback scene, Burt and Anton sit down for lunch at school. Anton pulls out several bottles containing various medications. He says that his doctor says he is dangerously close to being a girl and that one of the medications is a testosterone supplement.
- There are several bar scenes with people holding glasses and drinking.
- Burt seems to be drunk in a couple of scenes.
- Burt and Anton import large quantities of a drug from South America. They use it to make an entire audience unconscious.
Nudity and sexual activity
This movie has some nudity and sexual activity. For example:
- Women wear low-cut dresses and underwear that shows some cleavage.
- A woman walks into the bathroom while Burt is in the bath. He tells her that it is OK because he is having a bubble bath and he is covered by bubbles. But when the woman approaches the bath, she gasps. Burt says, ‘The bubbles appeared to have dissipated’. He invites the woman to get in.
- As part of their act, Burt and Anton dance in a sensual but comical manner with their female assistant, both men rubbing their bodies up against her.
- A woman walks into Burt’s bedroom. She is next seen waking up in Burt’s bed the following morning.
- Burt and a woman passionately kiss and hug each other. Burt uses a trick to remove the woman’s bra from underneath her clothing, while the woman pulls condoms from behind Burt’s ear.
Product placement
None of concern
Coarse language
This movie has some coarse language.
Ideas to discuss with your children
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is a comedy targeting an older adolescent and adult audience but lacking both real comedy and character development.
Tweens and teenagers might be attracted by the title and the story about magicians, so you should be aware that it isn’t recommended for children under 13 years. Parental guidance is strongly recommended for children aged 13-15 years because of the movie’s violence, including bullying and self-mutilation, and sexual references. The scenes involving self-mutilation, real or magical, are particularly disturbing. Younger children might try to copy both the stunts and the coarse language.
If you have older children who see the movie, you could talk with them about the appropriateness of Burt’s attitude to women.
These are the main positive messages from this movie:
- The secret to happiness is finding your true passion in life.
- Friendship is very important.