One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (R)

Classic film, but not for kids.

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Common Sense rates it
5
Seen the movie? Review it
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Movie details
  • Studio: Warner Home Video
  • Directed By: Miloš Forman
  • Cast: Danny DeVito, Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher
  • Running Time: 128 minutes
  • Release Date: 09/23/1975
  • Video/DVD Release Date: 09/19/2002
  • Genre: Drama
  • MPAA Rating: R
  • MPAA Explanation: Violence and Language

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this film deals with mental illness and mental hospitals. Characters drink, smoke, curse, have sex, fight, and struggle against the hospital's authority structure. The film also depicts the hospital's efforts to control patients through medication, electroshock therapy, and lobotomy. There is a suicide.

Families can talk about classics. Why do you think this film has lasting appeal? Does it seem dated to you in any way? Since CUCKOO'S NEST is regularly assigned in high school English classes, parents might want to compare and contrast the book versus the movie with their teens.

Message

Social Behavior:

Main character fakes being mentally ill to avoid jail.

Consumerism:

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Patients are medicated. One is denied cigarettes.

Violence

Patients fight each other. One smothers another. Many are restrained against their will.

Sex

Language

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Carly Kocurek

Three decades have done little to diminish the power of ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST. Based on Ken Kesey's novel by the same name, the film addresses the trials of Randle Patrick McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), a petty criminal who decides to feign insanity to get out of time behind bars and into the easy life at the mental ward. Once inside the white-walled hospital, McMurphy finds himself pitted against Nurse Mildred Ratched (Louise Fletcher). While Nurse Ratched manipulates patients in group therapy and uses a regime of medication and electroshock to maintain control, McMurphy demands the right to watch baseball playoffs and takes the men outside the hospital grounds on a fishing trip. As the conflict escalates, the line between the crazy and the sane grows increasingly blurry.

Is it any good?

5
Milos Forman's 1975 film adaptation of the Ken Kesey novel is a classic for good reason. Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher turn in near-perfect performances. Supporting cast members, including Danny DeVito as Martini and Christopher Lloyd as Taber, create a band of institution residents who are warm despite evidence of their insanity. Forman's direction is dead-on, as he manages to capture the monotony of routine on the ward without allowing the film to drag.

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Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 6 reviews.

5


Posted on 03/04/08 by Captain_Tripps Kid contributor, age 16
5

Posted on 08/10/07 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 13

Great Film!

This was a great film that teens will really like! 13 or 14 and up will be fine.
5


Posted on 07/23/07 by MovieBuffMan123 Kid contributor, age 15
5


Posted on 07/11/07 by # 1 DukeBlueDevils fan Kid contributor, age 15

One of the defining films of the 1970's.

What does common sense media mean when they say the cuckoos nest is no place for kids.This movie should be viewed by everybody that loves film, including kids.This is one of the greatest films of all time.I laughed, I felt sympathy for the characters, I even drank a little[don't send this review to my mom].I love this film.Common sense media needs to start grading these movies better.And by the way, if your getting sick of my reviews about lashing out at this site, I have news for you, I'm just getting started.
5


Posted on 07/02/06 by instarnight786 Adult contributor
5

Posted on 04/14/06 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 11

A Must See Movie for tweens and up

one flew over the cuckoo's nest is an amazing film. The only thing remotely explicit is the langguage. the patients swear at each other (f-word, s-word). one scene early in the movie there is a reference to a statutory rape which is borderline explicit, but ends somewhat quickly. this is an amazing movie but know your kids before letting them watch it.

Adult Reviews

There are 1 reviews.

5


Posted on 07/02/06 by instarnight786 Adult contributor

Kids Reviews

There are 5 reviews.

5


Posted on 03/04/08 by Captain_Tripps Kid contributor, age 16
5

Posted on 08/10/07 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 13

Great Film!

This was a great film that teens will really like! 13 or 14 and up will be fine.
5


Posted on 07/23/07 by MovieBuffMan123 Kid contributor, age 15
5


Posted on 07/11/07 by # 1 DukeBlueDevils fan Kid contributor, age 15

One of the defining films of the 1970's.

What does common sense media mean when they say the cuckoos nest is no place for kids.This movie should be viewed by everybody that loves film, including kids.This is one of the greatest films of all time.I laughed, I felt sympathy for the characters, I even drank a little[don't send this review to my mom].I love this film.Common sense media needs to start grading these movies better.And by the way, if your getting sick of my reviews about lashing out at this site, I have news for you, I'm just getting started.
5

Posted on 04/14/06 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 11

A Must See Movie for tweens and up

one flew over the cuckoo's nest is an amazing film. The only thing remotely explicit is the langguage. the patients swear at each other (f-word, s-word). one scene early in the movie there is a reference to a statutory rape which is borderline explicit, but ends somewhat quickly. this is an amazing movie but know your kids before letting them watch it.
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