The Incredible Burt Wonderstone – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2013

38%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A Vegas magician's midlife crisis, but the real disappearing act is your interest in watching it.

37%

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The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

movie

PG-13, 2013

38%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A Vegas magician's midlife crisis, but the real disappearing act is your interest in watching it.

37%

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Screenwise Verdict

Let's be real: this movie bombed for a reason. A 37% critic score and 33% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is rough—people actively disliked it. The premise had potential (Vegas magic, Steve Carell, redemption arc), but the execution is reportedly stale, predictable, and just not funny.

The protagonist spends most of the film being a jerk, which makes it hard to root for him. The jokes don't land. The magic isn't magical. It's the kind of movie that disappears from your memory about as fast as a card trick.

If you're looking for a comedy about reinvention or friendship, there are dozens of better options. If your kids want magic, show them Now You See Me or even a good magic documentary. This one's a skip unless you're literally scrolling HBO Max at 11pm and have already watched everything else twice.

Age Fit

Common Sense Media's 14+ rating feels right—there's adult humor and relationship content that younger kids won't get or shouldn't see. But honestly, even 14-year-olds have better options. This is more for parents who loved Steve Carell in The Office and are desperate for something vaguely family-adjacent on HBO.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

The film centers on a jaded, arrogant magician who treats his partner and others poorly before eventually learning to be better. The character arc involves growth, but the journey includes significant meanness, ego-driven behavior, and adult relationship drama that doesn't model particularly healthy interactions for most of the runtime. The tone skews cynical rather than uplifting.

Imaginative

Magic as a premise offers inherent imaginative appeal, and the contrast between traditional stage magic and modern street magic provides some creative exploration. However, the execution is reportedly formulaic and predictable, leaning heavily on standard comedy tropes rather than truly inventive storytelling. The world of Vegas magic could have been more creatively realized.

Safe

Common Sense Media rates this at 14+, suggesting some adult content but nothing extreme. As a PG-13 comedy, likely includes sexual innuendo, some crude humor, and possibly mild language. The premise involves rivalry and some mean-spirited behavior but probably no graphic violence or truly shocking content. The 'safe' concerns are more about appropriateness for younger viewers than traumatic content.

Enriching

The redemption arc offers a basic lesson about humility and friendship, but critics' 37% RT score and audiences' 33% score suggest the execution is shallow and forgettable. The film apparently fails to deliver meaningful insights about creativity, reinvention, or the art of magic. Entertainment value appears equally low based on widespread negative reception—this isn't a 'guilty pleasure' hit, just a miss.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Steve Carell doing his thing, which some families enjoy even in weaker material
Magic as a backdrop could spark interest in sleight-of-hand or performance arts
The redemption arc teaches (eventually) about humility and valuing relationships
Might work as background viewing for teens on a lazy afternoon when literally nothing else is on

⚠

What to Watch For

The protagonist is genuinely unlikeable and mean-spirited for a significant portion—not the fun kind of flawed, just unpleasant
Adult humor and innuendo throughout (hence the 14+ rating)
The comedy largely falls flat based on critical and audience consensus—prepare for groans
Some crude jokes and potentially uncomfortable relationship dynamics

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think Burt treated people so badly when he got famous? Have you seen that happen in real life?"
"If you could learn any magic trick, what would it be and why?"
"The movie contrasts 'old-school' magic with new 'hip' stuff—do you think traditional arts still matter or should everything evolve?"
"What would you do if you were really good at something and then suddenly weren't the best anymore?"

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