Porky's – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Porky's

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie1981

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

The granddaddy of raunchy teen sex comedies—full of nudity, crude humor, and attitudes that aged like milk left in a hot car.

6.2/10

33%

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Porky's

movie

R, 1981

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

The granddaddy of raunchy teen sex comedies—full of nudity, crude humor, and attitudes that aged like milk left in a hot car.

6.2

33%

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6.2/10

33%

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Screenwise Verdict

Let's be clear: Porky's is not for kids, teens, or family movie night. It's an adults-only relic from 1981 that helped birth the teen sex comedy genre (think American Pie's cruder grandfather).

The film is wall-to-wall crude humor, explicit sexual content, full-frontal nudity, and sexual harassment played for laughs. Common Sense Media rates it 18+, and even by 1980s standards, critics weren't impressed (33% on Rotten Tomatoes, 40 on Metacritic).

For modern viewers, it's mostly interesting as a time capsule of what passed for comedy before anyone cared about consent or treating women as human beings. The jokes are dated, the attitudes are gross, and the entertainment value is minimal unless you're specifically studying how far we've come (or haven't) in 40+ years.

If you're looking for actual good comedy—or anything remotely appropriate for anyone under voting age—keep scrolling. This one belongs in the "why did people think this was funny?" vault.

Age Fit

This is strictly 18+ content. It's a raunchy sex comedy with extensive nudity, explicit themes, and attitudes toward women that are regressive. Even for adults, it's more of a cultural artifact than quality entertainment—the humor hasn't aged well, and the 2.7 Letterboxd rating tells you what modern audiences think.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

A raunchy 1980s sex comedy centered entirely on teenage boys trying to lose their virginity. Features extensive crude humor, objectification of women, and a tone that treats sexual harassment as comedy. The emotional landscape is juvenile and mean-spirited, with zero modeling of healthy relationships or respectful behavior. Common Sense Media rates it 18+ for good reason.

Imaginative

Derivative teen sex comedy that helped establish a genre template but brought little originality to the table. Set in 1954 Florida but uses the period setting as window dressing rather than creative exploration. The revenge plot is formulaic, and the humor relies on shock value rather than clever writing. No invitation to think, create, or explore anything beyond base impulses.

Safe

Extensive full-frontal nudity (lengthy shower scene), explicit sexual content and dialogue, sexual harassment played for laughs, and crude humor throughout. IMDb parents guide rates Sex & Nudity as 'Severe' (156 of 309 found this severe). This is the opposite of safe for family viewing—it's specifically designed to push boundaries and shock. Not something that should ever be playing where kids might walk in.

Enriching

Offers virtually nothing in terms of growth, insight, or meaningful takeaways. The 'revenge' plot is shallow, the characters are one-dimensional stereotypes, and the film's treatment of women and sexuality is regressive even by 1981 standards. Critics gave it 33% on Rotten Tomatoes and 40 on Metacritic for good reason—it's lowbrow comedy without depth. As entertainment, it's dated and crude, appealing mainly to nostalgia for early-80s raunch.

Parent Info

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Why It Might Be Great

Historical curiosity as one of the films that launched the teen sex comedy genre in the 1980s
If you're a film studies adult interested in how comedy and cultural attitudes have evolved over 40+ years
Some viewers find nostalgic value in its unfiltered, pre-PC raunchiness

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What to Watch For

Extensive full-frontal nudity and explicit sexual content throughout—Common Sense Media rates it 18+ for very good reasons
Sexual harassment and objectification of women played for laughs in ways that feel gross and dated today
Crude humor that relies entirely on shock value rather than wit
Zero redeeming educational, emotional, or developmental content
This is adults-only material that should never be accessible to kids or teens

Conversation Starters

"How have attitudes about consent and respect changed since the 1980s?"
"What makes something 'funny' versus just crude or mean-spirited?"
"Why do you think this type of comedy was popular in 1981, and would it get made today?"

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