Why We Rated This Appropriate for Ages 15 and UP

What to watch out for

• Drugs:

  Implied marijuana use by kids, young boy chugs a beer his father gives him, otherwise very little drinking and smoking.

• Language:

  All major curse words used, somewhat frequently, until end of film when language gets courser.

• Sex:

  Flirting, frequently suggested and implied sex, brief nudity, implied masturbation.

• Messages

• Violence:

  Some threat of violence. Most violence is cartoonish (a dog is dragged to death by accident).

• Consumerism:

  Not an issue.

What Parents Need to Know

About National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Parents need to know that this film's humor relies mostly on innuendo. While drug use and sex are never seen, they're very frequently implied and are generally the butt of jokes. The father of this family comes close to cheating on his wife but doesn't succeed and realizes that he loves his wife. Like every other social taboo this film encounters, the father's almost cheating is treated as a joke, as he is rather inept at it.

Families Can Talk About

Families can talk about comedies. How can a dead dog -- or a dead old lady -- be funny? Can you think of other popular movies that turn disgusting and depraved situations into laughs -- or at least try to? How far can filmmakers push it before they've crossed the line into true tasteless territory? Who do you think most of these movies are targeted to? How do you know?