The 2008 comedy Role Models balances nonstop raunchy jokes with a surprisingly sweet heart about becoming a better role model. Directed by David Wain and starring Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott, the movie asks whether two immature energy-drink salesmen can actually mentor two troubled kids.

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Release Year: 2008 · Director: David Wain · Lead Actors: Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott · MPAA Rating: R (Restricted) · Genre: Comedy

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Appropriateness for all teenagers — varies by maturity (Common Sense Media)
  • Exact critical rating (not provided in source documents) (Common Sense Media)
  • Whether the positive mentorship message outweighs crude content for some families (Common Sense Media)
  • Consistency of MPAA rating with audience expectations (Common Sense Media)
3Timeline signal
  • Released in U.S. theaters on November 7, 2008 (Rotten Tomatoes)
  • Now streaming on Netflix and Prime Video (Netflix)
4What’s next
  • No sequel announced; fans continue to discover it through streaming (Wikipedia)
  • Rumored cult status growth among 2010s comedy fans (Wikipedia)

The film packs more data into its opening credits than most comedies.

Attribute Value Source
Release Date 2008 (November 7) Rotten Tomatoes
Director David Wain Wikipedia
Writers David Wain, Timothy Dowling, Paul Rudd, Ken Marino Wikipedia
Lead Actors Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott IMDb
MPAA Rating R (Restricted) IMDb Parents Guide
Available On Netflix, Amazon Prime Video Netflix, Prime Video

Is Role Models a Good Film?

Critical reception

Reviewers at Rotten Tomatoes (film review aggregator) describe the movie as “frequently crude, always funny,” a testament to its sharp writing and the chemistry between Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott. The film holds a positive score on the platform, though the exact percentage is not publicly fixed in available sources.

Plot summary

Danny (Paul Rudd) and Wheeler (Seann William Scott) are energy-drink pitchmen who get sentenced to community service in a Big Brother–style mentoring program. Danny is paired with Augie, a profane 8-year-old obsessed with medieval LARPing; Wheeler gets stuck with Ronnie, a foul-mouthed teenager who lacks social filters. The mismatched pairs eventually connect through shared experiences, leading to a climax involving a medieval battle reenactment. Movieguide (Christian review site) calls the clean parts “extremely funny.”

Why it’s considered a cult classic

Despite opening to modest box office ($67.3 million US gross, per Rotten Tomatoes), Role Models gained a strong following on home video and streaming. Its blend of outrageous humor and genuine heart — plus quotable lines from Augie — keeps audiences returning. The film’s embrace of nerd culture (LARPing, comic books) also helped it resonate with audiences who would later fuel its cult status.

Bottom line: Role Models is a raunchy comedy with a hidden emotional core. Critics and audiences agree: it’s crude but funny, and its cult status is well earned.

Can My 12 Year Old Watch Role Models?

Language and crude humor

The film contains significant profanity. IMDb’s Parents Guide rates profanity as “severe,” and Kids-In-Mind (content detail site) counts 28 uses of the F-word. The crude humor extends to graphic sexual jokes and body-function humor, delivered by both adults and the child character Augie.

Sexual content

IMDb’s Parents Guide rates sex and nudity as “moderate,” noting one scene where a woman removes her dress to reveal bare breasts. Kids-In-Mind specifically cites a nude-breast scene. Movie Mom (parenting film critic) calls the sexual humor “extremely crude and graphic.”

Violence

Violence is mild, limited to slapstick and the medieval battle scenes with foam weapons. IMDb’s Parents Guide rates violence and gore as “mild.”

Positive messages

Underneath the crude exterior, the film promotes mentorship, honesty, and friendship. Common Sense Media (trusted family guide) recommends the movie for ages 15 and up, acknowledging the positive themes but noting they are wrapped in adult content. Movie Mom says she would not take a 14-year-old to the film.

The trade-off

Parents who want to use the movie as a conversation starter about mentorship must first wade through 28 F-words and graphic sexual jokes — a steep barrier for most 12-year-olds. Common Sense Media holds its ground: 15+ is the sensible threshold.

Bottom line: Role Models is not appropriate for most 12-year-olds due to severe profanity, crude sexual content, and drug references. Parents of mature 14-year-olds may still want to preview it first.

What Is a Role Model?

Definition

A role model is a person whose behavior, example, or success is emulated by others. Access Psych (Australian mental health resource) describes role models as individuals who inspire others to imitate their qualities and achievements. Fictional characters — including those in movies — can also serve as role models when they demonstrate integrity, perseverance, or compassion.

Characteristics of a good role model

  • Integrity: acting consistently with values
  • Perseverance: overcoming obstacles
  • Compassion: showing empathy for others
  • Resilience: bouncing back from failure

Psychology Today (psychology magazine) notes that effective role models demonstrate these traits in visible ways, allowing others to learn by observation.

The importance of having role models

Research from Access Psych emphasizes that role models contribute to personal development by providing a template for behavior, raising aspirations, and offering guidance. For young people especially, role models — whether real or fictional — shape values, career paths, and social behavior.

Bottom line: A role model is someone worth imitating. The film Role Models uses its title to explore how even the most unlikely people can become mentors — and how mentorship works best when it’s reciprocal.

Who Is the Girl in Role Models?

Cast list: Elizabeth Banks, Jane Lynch, and others

  • Elizabeth Banks plays Beth, Danny’s ex-girlfriend. She appears in several scenes, trying to move on after their breakup.
  • Jane Lynch plays Sweeney, the hard-nosed director of the mentoring program. Her deadpan delivery provides some of the film’s funniest moments.
  • Ken Marino plays Jim, an old friend of Danny’s who has moved into a stable, boring adult life.

Roles of the main female characters

Beth serves as the emotional anchor for Danny’s character arc; her presence reminds him of his own failures. Sweeney, meanwhile, functions as the authority figure who demands the men complete their community service. Both characters are essential to the plot but are not the focus of the film’s crude comedy.

What happened to the kid from Role Models? (Bobb’e J. Thompson)

Bobb’e J. Thompson played Ronnie, the foul-mouthed teenager. After Role Models, he appeared in TV shows like 30 Rock and Everybody Hates Chris. He continued acting into the 2010s but has since stepped back from the spotlight. IMDb lists his credits.

Bottom line: Elizabeth Banks and Jane Lynch are the notable “girls” in the cast, but the film’s heart lies in the mentorship between Danny and Augie, and Wheeler and Ronnie.

Is the Movie Role Models Inappropriate?

Why the movie is rated R

The Motion Picture Association (official rating board) rated Role Models R for “crude and sexual content, strong language, and nudity.” IMDb adds “some drug use” to the list. The R rating means those under 17 require an accompanying parent or adult guardian.

Comparison of R vs 16+ and 18+ age recommendations

While the MPAA R rating sets the floor at 17 without a parent, various guides push that higher. Common Sense Media recommends 15+ as a starting point, while Movie Mom advises against taking even a 14-year-old. In some international markets the film was classified 16+.

Scenes that may be considered inappropriate

  • Augie, the 8-year-old, frequently talks about women’s breasts and uses profanity (Movieguide)
  • A woman exposes her bare breasts in a brief scene (Kids-In-Mind)
  • Drug references: alcohol and marijuana use by adults (IMDb Parents Guide)
  • 28 F-words and one obscene hand gesture (Kids-In-Mind)
The catch

The film’s central message — that connection and honesty matter more than surface behavior — is undercut for younger viewers by its relentless crude content. For parents, the trade-off is clear: you get a funny, heartfelt story about becoming a role model, but only if you’re willing to navigate 28 F-words along the way.

Confirmed facts

  • Role Models is a 2008 American comedy film directed by David Wain.
  • It stars Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott.
  • It is rated R by the MPAA.
  • It is available on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

What’s unclear

  • Whether the film is appropriate for all teenagers (varies by maturity).
  • Exact critical rating (Rotten Tomatoes score not provided).
  • Whether the positive mentorship message outweighs crude content for individual families.
  • Consistency of MPAA rating with audience expectations for a 14-year-old.
The upshot

For parents, the decision hinges on one question: can you sit through 28 F-words and a bare breast to get to a 90-minute payoff about friendship and responsibility? Many say yes, but not before age 15.

Quotes

“Despite its predictable plot, Role Models is frequently crude and always funny.”

Rotten Tomatoes (critical consensus)

“The movie has positive messages about mentorship and friendship, but they are buried under an avalanche of crude humor, strong language, and sexual content.”

Common Sense Media (family guide)

“I would not take a 14-year-old to this film.”

Movie Mom (parenting film critic)

“The clean parts are extremely funny, but the rest contains abundant foul language, crude sexual content, brief nudity, and some drug references.”

Movieguide (Christian review site)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Role Models a good movie for a 14 year old?

Most parent guides say no. Common Sense Media recommends 15+, and Movie Mom explicitly advises against taking a 14-year-old. The film’s severe profanity and graphic sexual content make it a poor fit for most teens that age.

Where can I stream Role Models?

Currently available on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Check your local library or rental services.

How long is Role Models?

The runtime is 1 hour 39 minutes (99 minutes), according to Rotten Tomatoes.

What is the plot of Role Models in one sentence?

Two immature energy-drink salesmen are sentenced to mentor two socially awkward kids, and through their chaotic adventures they learn what it really means to be a role model.

Did Role Models get good reviews from critics?

Yes, it holds a positive critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes, which calls it “frequently crude, always funny.” It also earned a cult following.

Is there a sequel to Role Models?

No. As of 2025, no sequel has been announced, and the original film remains a stand-alone cult comedy.

Who wrote the soundtrack for Role Models?

The original score was composed by Craig Wedren. The soundtrack also includes classic rock and pop songs from the late 2000s. IMDb has a full list.

For parents deciding whether to let their 14-year-old watch, the choice is clear: wait a few years, or watch together with open conversation. Role Models offers a genuinely heartfelt story about mentorship, but the price of admission — 28 F-words, a bare breast, and constant crude humor — is too high for most younger teens. For mature viewers ready for that trade-off, the film delivers laughs and a surprisingly touching reminder that anyone can become a role model.