The Sex and Violence Family Hour (1983)

The Sex and Violence Family Hour is a scruffy little time capsule of early-’80s adult sketch comedy, the kind of anything-goes, late-night vibe that feels like it was made to be discovered by curious insomniacs and cult collectors. Its real hook is catching a young Jim Carrey in the wild, already flashing that elastic energy and fearless commitment that would later make him a star, even when the material is proudly lowbrow. The movie plays like a grab bag of raunchy skits—hit-or-miss by design—but when it hits, it’s the sort of goofy, shameless silliness that can make a couch viewing with friends feel like a minor event. If you’re looking for polished satire, this isn’t it, but if you want a niche, naughty curiosity with a few genuinely entertaining sparks, it’s an easy yes.

The Sex and Violence Family Hour is aiming for a raunchy sketch-comedy romp, basically a string of sex-themed spoofs stitched together with the energy of a late-night dare. The problem is the jokes are mostly stale, the pacing is messy, and the whole thing feels more trashy than clever, like it’s banking on shock value because it doesn’t have much else. Even if you’re curious for early-career novelty, the execution is rough enough that it’s hard to recommend as “hidden gem” material. This is only for viewers with a very low bar for sleaze and a high tolerance for bargain-bin sketch comedy; everyone else will likely feel their time being wasted.