THE VALET
An excellent, heartfelt comedy about sincerity, family, and costly choices.
Should You Watch It?
THE VALET is an unusually good romantic comedy. Its laugh-out-loud humor revolves around sincerity, while its excellent performances make an unlikely friendship feel genuinely warm. The film celebrates family, kindness, loyalty, and genuine relationships. It also rebukes infidelity and immorality, with an uplifting church scene centered on Christian values.
The cost is significant. A staged sexual scene is used to fool private detectives, and the movie includes crude and rude sexual humor, obscenities and profanities, drunkenness, and prescription-pill abuse. Those concerns place it outside the range of a family movie, despite the film’s strong moral heart.
If you are a discerning adult who can navigate those elements, this is worth watching for its humor, performances, and positive message. For children and young teens, choose something else.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESOlivia, a famous movie star, is romantically involved with Vincent, a married billionaire. When paparazzi uncover their affair, the pair hire Antonio, an honest and hard-working valet, to pose as Olivia’s boyfriend.
Their public appearances are meant to make the story believable, but the arrangement becomes more personal than anyone expects. As Olivia spends time with Antonio and his family, an unlikely friendship begins to challenge the values and priorities shaping her life.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this film’s strengths are substantial. THE VALET has many laugh-out-loud moments, and its performances are excellent.
Eugenio Derbez plays Antonio as a lovable, funny “everyman,” while Samara Weaving portrays Olivia as an attention-seeking celebrity searching for true fulfillment. Their endearing friendship gives the comedy emotional weight and helps both characters discover what really matters.
The film’s moral themes also strengthen it. Love, fidelity, family, kindness, and sincerity receive serious attention without losing the humor.
The Worldview
THE VALET presents a strong Christian, moral worldview. It ultimately rebukes infidelity and immorality while exalting family, loyalty, kindness, sincerity, and genuine relationships. Olivia’s friendship with Antonio and his family helps her recognize the love and belonging missing from her life.
The film also includes an uplifting church funeral scene in which a main character gives a eulogy on good Christian values, including caring for family members and other people. That moral vision is marred by immoral pagan behavior and light politically correct allusions to class differences, although the movie ultimately transcends those elements.
The central longing is for fulfillment rooted not in celebrity, money, or selfish desire, but in love and faithful relationships. Scripture says that love “does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:6).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
Strong Christian, moral worldview where infidelity and immorality are ultimately rebuked also contains a church funeral scene where a main character gives a eulogy on good Christian values of caring for family members and other people, marred by some immoral pagan behavior and light politically correct allusions to class differences, which, however, the movie ultimately transcends
Foul Language
About 19 obscenities (including two “f” word) and two Jesus profanities
Violence
Light violence incudes man runs into a car with his bike, and main character is punched in the face
Sex
A staged sexual scene occurs with the participants partially clothed, an adulterous couple is shown in bed under covers, inappropriate and crude sexual humor, and mother of protagonist often fornicates with her neighbor and brags that she asks him to be “rough” with her
Nudity
Upper male nudity
Alcohol Use
A main character drinks, drunken scene followed by passing out and a hangover
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
Some smoking and main character abuses prescription pills
Miscellaneous Immorality
Lying, and a husband and wife plot against each other and spy on one another.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
The film contrasts public image with sincerity. Why can telling the truth be difficult, and why does Scripture still call us to speak truthfully?
Ephesians 4:25 · Proverbs 12:22Olivia discovers that family and genuine relationships matter more than status. What makes a relationship faithful and life-giving?
1 Corinthians 13:4–7 · Philippians 2:3–4The story rebukes infidelity and immorality. How does unfaithfulness harm more than the two people making the choice?
Exodus 20:14 · Hebrews 13:4The church scene emphasizes caring for family and others. Who around you needs practical kindness this week?
Galatians 6:10 · James 2:14–17The Final Word
THE VALET is funny, excellently performed, and morally serious about family, sincerity, and fidelity. Its sexual content, crude humor, profanity, drunkenness, and prescription-pill abuse make it unsuitable for children and young teens. For discerning adults, it is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For other family viewing, see.
