Rated X (Unrated Version)

The film is about the Mitchell brothers, but both characters are so unappealing it is hard to care what happens to either of them. Many issues are brought up that are never resolved, such as distributors showing their films without compensation, for which they threaten to sue, but we never learn what the outcome is. They go from incredibly wealthy to living in run-down homes, but is this because of their excessive lifestyles, or business failures? It appears as if key scenes were left on the cutting room floor during the editing process. There are also several montages, and slow-mos that serve no purpose and do not advance the story. The one courtroom scene where they are tried for obscenity is ludicrous. The defense arguments are silly, and a jury trial would not be deciding constitutionality of the law, only if they broke the law, as passed.

Minor problems include showing them as youngsters where the older brother is a large strapping lad, and the younger is rather puny, but then without explanation after seeing the shrimpy Estevez and bigger Sheen, we finally learn that Estevez is actually the older brother. Also, the ridiculous bald heads, where the tops are not even the same color as the rest of the skin and take on a gross greenish color and incredible reflections when shot at an angle.

It probably goes without saying that neither Estevez nor Sheen are very capable actors. Sheen is way over the top and Estevez pauses before every line as if trying to remember his cue.

[...], this is not Estevez' directoral debut, although it would be easy to make that mistake given the ineptitude shown here. He previously made the abysmal movies 'Wisdom' and 'Men at Work'.