- Critical Dissonance: Though not critically acclaimed, receiving a 21% on Rotten Tomatoes, it performed exceptionally well at the box office, pulling in more than $115 million, more than twice its production cost. The audience reviews are also significantly higher than the critic's ones, at 58%.
- Harsher in Hindsight: The vice principal/gym teacher finding a swastika in Seth's locker might have just been a misunderstanding, but the scene feels a lot more uncomfortable in light of the sudden surge of the alt-right (a movement that includes neo-Nazis) during the late 2010s.
- He Really Can Act: This film shows the soft side of Vin Diesel that he is in real life.
- Hilarious in Hindsight: Seth's actor, Max Thieriot, went on to become a Navy SEAL on SEAL Team. Guess Shane had a larger effect on Seth than anyone could guess!
- Iron Woobie: Both Zoe and Shane are dealing with a lot of inner torment about the deaths of their respective fathers (Shane's has been dead for much longer) but don't feel like they can open up about it to anyone.
- Memetic Mutation: "Why are your boobs so big?" "They're not boobs." note
- One-Scene Wonder: Family Man and brilliant scientist Howard Plummer is killed in the opening scene, but between his characterization and his posthumous plot relevance, he makes a good impression.
- Signature Scene: As mentioned above, the "Why are your boobs so big?" scene.
- Lulu dramatically screaming "LAND!!" after Zoey's first time driving the van.
- The Un-Twist: All Asians Know Martial Arts is a popular trope. The two neighbors are Asian, and there are two masked Ninja antagonists. The reveal of their identity isn't a huge shock.
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