Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this comedy, although PG, has several mature themes and conversations. The couple played by Tom Hanks and Shelley Long fool around in bed -- with their construction crew looking on in one case. They kiss many times throughout the movie and have conversations about sex, drinking and ending their relationship. Some of the comments may go over young kids' heads, however. The humor consists of Hanks (and in a few cases Long) getting hurt in a variety of elaborate ways during their hellish home renovation. If made today, this slapstick comedy would be rated PG-13.
Families can talk about persevering despite many obstacles. Anna and Walter take turns bemoaning the purchase of their new home. How does the home improvement project change their relationship? Was buying the house a risk that paid off? Kids: would you want to live in the Money Pit house? Also, do you think Tom Hanks is better in comedies or dramas? Is there any evidence here that the comic Hanks would end up to be a big Oscar winner?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Sandie Angulo Chen
Nowadays, with the exception of the occasional romantic comedy or animated character, Tom Hanks tends to star in big-budget dramas or action thrillers. But as all but the youngest of moviegoers know, in the '80s Hanks was a comedian extraordinaire, starring in laughfests like the home-improvement comedy THE MONEY PIT.
Hanks plays Walter, an entertainment lawyer living in a fabulous Manhattan apartment with his girlfriend Anna (Shelley Long), a classical musician. When Anna's ex, an egotistical conductor (the stunning dancer-turned-actor Alexander Godunov) returns from abroad, the couple loses their place. Unluckily for them, their realtor finds them a gorgeous mansion for a steal upstate.
The house, obviously, is anything but a steal -- it's literally crumbling to pieces, usually on top of Walter and Anna. As they begin the laborious but hilarious process of fixing up the house, anything that can possibly go wrong does, from Walter missing the house inspector because he's stuck in a hole in the floor to Anna getting attacked by a raccoon living in the dumbwaiter. And then there's the crazy crew of construction workers who take months longer than they estimated to renovate the house.
In between all of the construction mishaps, Walter and Anna's relationship ends up needing some improvements as well. Will they survive their money pit or crumble like their old foundation? This being an '80s comedy, the happy ending is all but guaranteed. Whether or not you're a fan of broad comedies, you won't be able to keep from laughing out loud, especially since Hanks proves a genius with the physical humor.
Families who dig the chaos of construction comedies would enjoy the TV show Home Improvement, while fans of Tom Hanks' comic side will love Big and Splash.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentSeveral shots of Walter and Anna kissing -- often in bed, including one scene where the construction workers are all watching. There are inappropriate, jokey comments about whether Anna should sleep with a contractor or her ex-husband for the sake of the renovations. Anna wakes up next to a shirtless Max. A worker tells Anna she's almost out of birth control pills. |
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ViolenceHanks and Long are accidentally electrocuted, crushed, burned, and attacked by a raccoon, but it's all slapsticky violence. |
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LanguageWould be PG-13 by today's standards with words like "whore," "bastard," "ass," "blood-sucking," "screw," etc. Three exclamations of "God-damned." |
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Social BehaviorIf your romantic relationship can withstand an awful home renovation, it'll be stronger than ever. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoSeveral people drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes. Anna drinks so much one night that in the morning she can't recall what happened. Walter accuses Anna of being a drunk. |
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