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The Money Pit

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 12, age appropriate for kids over 13; suggested age 13.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Hanks is hilarious in classic '80s fix-it comedy.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 13 and Up

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    If your romantic relationship can withstand an awful home renovation, it'll be stronger than ever.
  • Violence:

    Hanks and Long are accidentally electrocuted, crushed, burned, and attacked by a raccoon, but it's all slapsticky violence.
  • Sex:

    Several 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.
  • Language:

    Would be PG-13 by today's standards with words like "whore," "bastard," "ass," "blood-sucking," "screw," etc. Three exclamations of "God-damned."
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Several 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.

What Parents Need to Know

This review of The Money Pit was written by Sandie Angulo Chen

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

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • 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?
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More on The Money Pit

What’s the Story?

Tom 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 upstate. The house, they find out, is anything but a steal -- it's literally crumbling to pieces, usually on top of Walter and Anna. As they begin the laborious but 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. 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?

Is It Any Good?

Nowadays, with the exception of the occasional romantic comedy or animated character, 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. 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.

Movie Details

Studio: Universal Pictures, Director: Richard Benjamin
Run time: 91 minutes
Theatrical release: 3/26/1986, DVD release: 2/4/2003
MPAA Rating: PG

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Nebraska
    Kids ages: 14
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 2.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language

    The Worst House in All of History...

    This movie is the ultimate bad-house movie, with what may be the worst house in movie history. However, it isn't that good of a movie. And, it's not okay for kids. There is language: "godd**n", "a*s", and "SOB". A man and his girlfriend are shown making out in bed with construction workers watching. The girlfriend then proceeds to sleep with her ex-husband while drunk (nothing shown), and her husband calls her a "w***e" when he finds out.

  2. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Oregon
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language

    Perfect Tom Hanks Film!!

    This movie is HILARIOUS! I watched this with my mom and we were pretty much laughing through the whole thing. There were quite a few sexual situations/jokes that could have been done without, and some minor language, but as a whole, this was a great movie. My favorite scene was the bathtub falling thru the roof (I was laughing hysterically until I started crying, then I rewound it and watched it again.) I hope you enjoy this movie as much as I did!!

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