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Pacifier, The
Buena Vista Pictures

Pacifier, The reviews
Critic Score
Metascore: 30 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
5.0 out of 10
based on 27 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 49 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie

MPAA RATING: PG for action violence, language and rude humor

Starring Vin Diesel, Lauren Graham, Faith Ford, Brittany Snow, Max Thieriot, Chris Potter, Carol Kane, and Brad Garrett

Vin Diesel stars as Navy SEAL Shane Wolfe who, as an elite member of the world's fiercest and most highly trained force thought he was prepared to take on any duty no matter how perilous or impossible -- until he tried baby-sitting. (Disney)


GENRE(S): Action  |  Comedy  |  Family/Kids  
WRITTEN BY: Thomas Lennon
Ben Garant
 
DIRECTED BY: Adam Shankman  
RELEASE DATE: DVD: June 28, 2005 
Video: June 28, 2005 
Theatrical: March 4, 2005 
RUNNING TIME: 91 minutes, Color 
ORIGIN: Canada / USA 

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

60
Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas
Has sufficient mayhem to please Diesel's action fans while allowing the star to reach out to family audiences.
Read Full Review
50
The New York Times Janet Maslin
Mr. Diesel could not have succeeded as a genre-switcher without the proven television talents of the film's able ensemble.
Read Full Review
50
Dallas Observer Robert Wilonsky
Here's a bizarre hodgepodge of influences: "Kindergarten Cop" meets "Sound of Music," filtered through the Hulk Hogan movie "Mr. Nanny." The formula, by now so overused it's actually formless, is pure Disney
Read Full Review
50
Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
All very nice, sometimes we smile, but there's nothing compelling.
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50
San Francisco Chronicle Carla Meyer
Unlike Arnold Schwarzenegger, however, Vin Diesel shows no discernible comedic skills.
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50
Miami Herald Connie Ogle
Don't expect perfection, and you'll emerge from this goofy movie all in one piece, with reasonably entertained kids and a milder headache.
Read Full Review
50
Philadelphia Inquirer Gary Thompson
It's the sort of stuff younger viewers will love.
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50
USA Today Mike Clark
Low on Diesel fuel, though probably amusing enough if you're part of the intended demographic, which appears to be the age group that likes to stick fingers up noses.
Read Full Review
40
Variety Todd McCarthy
If auds swallow this odoriferous exercise in calculated career repositioning, they'll swallow anything.
Read Full Review
40
The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt
Vin Diesel is out of his element in this lame family comedy.
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40
TV Guide Angel Cohn
Most of the occasional chuckles are provided by the spunky York, who really gives Diesel a run for his money.
Read Full Review
38
ReelViews James Berardinelli
Offensive because it offers little more than unleavened stupidity in the place of the family-friendly action and comedy it promises.
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38
Chicago Tribune Michael Wilmington
Cheerful but mind-numbing.
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38
The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Liam Lacey
Director Adam Shankman pushes together scenes with little rhythm or flow. Writers Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant ignore credibility, throw in pointless sight gags, treat humiliation as comedy and use tiresome ethnic stereotypes. In short, Diesel doesn't get the help he needs.
Read Full Review
38
Boston Globe Ty Burr
JUST worth your children's time, and hardly worth yours.
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33
Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman
A yawn-by-numbers romper-room dud.
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30
Village Voice Laura Sinagra
Disney misfire.
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30
The Onion (A.V. Club) Nathan Rabin
Revealing hitherto unseen depths of stiffness, Diesel stumbles badly in the role.
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30
Chicago Reader J.R. Jones
Director Adam Shankman (Bringing Down the House) can't block a sight gag to save his life.
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30
Washington Post Desson Thomson
With no real comedy to enjoy, it's torture to watch Diesel undergo a predictable change from emotionless soldier to loving family man. Makes you want to spit out your pacifier in disgust.
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25
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sean Axmaker
Ultimately this soppy Pacifier sucks.
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25
New York Daily News Jami Bernard
An abysmal comedy that should have been strangled in its crib.
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25
New York Post Lou Lumenick
If the once red-hot Vin Diesel's overhyped career wasn't finished off by last summer's mega flop "The Chronicles of Riddick," the alleged family comedy The Pacifier ought to do the trick.
Read Full Review
25
Premiere Peter Debruge
Diesel valiantly but unsuccessfully tries to raise this inane bit of Mr. Mommery above its afternoon-special standing.
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25
Rolling Stone Peter Travers
It just plain sucks.
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20
Empire Anna Smith
Fails on both an emotional and comedic level.
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20
Austin Chronicle Marrit Ingman
Is it funny? Not for a minute.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now!The average user rating for this movie is 5.0 (out of 10) based on 49 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

CJ O. gave it a2:
This excuse for a cute family movie is your classic piece-of-junk movie unfitting of...Vin Diesel??? I'M basically a kid and I found this movie atrocious

Maddie S. gave it a9:
I thought this was a cool movie. It was very funny. Can't think of anything else. But it was good.

[Anonymous] gave it a10:
Thanks for a great time, watching someone "learn" how to have a great time with kids.

Donald B. gave it an8:
Good family movie. Lots of holes in the plot, but good for kids to see and not too bad for adults.

katie s. gave it a9:
It was a good movie...just not the best!

Jeff H. gave it a7:
While not a classic it does have its moments and is great for lite entertainment.

Stephan N gave it a1:
It was an awful movie for adults or teenagers, but an excellent movie for little kids.

Read more user comments...

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