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Back to the Future

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 6, age appropriate for kids over 8; suggested age 8.
  • Is it any good?

    5.0
  • Common Sense says

    '80s sci-fi time-traveler with laughs and romance.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 8 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Good over evil in a humorous fashion.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    A shooting involving terrorists that initially appears fatal, a punch or two.
  • Sexy stuff:

    A few oblique references to the possibility of sex, mostly just flirting and kissing.
  • Language:

    Mostly mild obscenities, with a few notable uses of "s--t."
  • Consumerism:

    Logos of shoes, stores; mentions of now-defunct soda, underwear, and auto brands.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    A bit of drinking and smoking.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Back to the Future

Parents need to know that this movie has some bullying in it and bits of language. The "s" word is uttered a few times, there is a reference to "reefer," and a few dated racial slurs are used by bad guys. There is a shooting, which appears to be lethal at first that is committed by a group of Libyan terrorists. It takes up no more than 3 minutes of the story, but is impossible to ignore. Sex, wanted and unwanted, is implied, but it's pretty harmless and will go over the heads of youngsters. There is no action is taken beyond flirting and kissing.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about ways in which individuals such as George can defend themselves without resorting to violence. They also might discuss family history -- as in when Mom met Dad.

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Our Members Say

Have you seen it? Review It!

  • What did you think about Back to the Future?
  •  I think this movie is

    for ages

  •  I also give it

  •  Any concerns?

  •  Any highlights?

  •  Love it? Hate it?

  • or to post a review
See all 40 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 5.0

    amzing movie. dont worry about the swearing.

    please, oh please calm down about the language. just because there is some swearing does not mean it is a bad movie. plus your kids can live with it. now just stop whining and enjoy the movie for what it is. its genius.

  2. Parent Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language

    Lots of language that I wasn't expecting after reading the CS media review. D--m and s--t lots of times, plus JC, GD. Wish I would have known about this.

  3. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in New Jersey
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Educational
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    BEST MOVIE IN THE HISTORY OF MAN KIND!

    I LOVE BACK TO THE FUTURE! IT'S GOT ACTION! IT'S GOT ADVENTURE! IT'S GOT COMEDY! THE ULTIMATE MOVIE! GREAT SCOTT!

  4. I rate this title iffy for age 7 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language

    Good movie but lots of swearing compared to kid movies

    This was a good movie but concepts a little over my kids heads sometimes (ages 5 &7) with the whole time travelling concept. Lots of swearing compared to kid movies.

  5. I rate this title on for age 9 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Great original movie. Clever how it all ties together. Maybe too much swearing.

  6. I rate this title off for age 11 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language

    Bad writers use bad language in what could've been a good flick!

    It could have been a really good movie -- too much unneeded bad language. Every single swear word there is was used prominently in the movie. What a waste.

  7. Kid Reviewer Age 7
    Lives in Oklahoma
    I rate this title on for age 6 and give it 3.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Educational

    watch it now

    i love it,its so much funny.

  8. Parent Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 4.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Good role models

    Fun for 12 and up

    Entertaining .

  9. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language

    They Had PG-13 Back In 1985...So Why Wasn't It Rated PG-13? I Wonder...

    "Son of a b*tch", "d*mn", "h*ll", "sh*t", and "*ss" are used repeatedly throughout. Plus there are tons of explosions.

  10. I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language

    Wait untill you're eight!

    I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!! But there is a gunhail part at the beginning and some kissy/violent parts at the end. WAY to much swearing, though, whenever we see a movie my brother compares how many cuss words to how many cuss words are in Back to the Future.

  11. I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language

    Wait untill you're eight!

    I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!! But there is a gunhail part at the beginning and some kissy/violent parts at the end. WAY to much swearing, though, whenever we see a movie my brother compares how many cuss words to how many cuss words are in Back to the Future.

  12. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Excessive consumerism
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

  13. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Arizona
    I rate this title iffy for age 10 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    Your ratings were misleading. As to sexual content, there were scenes involving a boy looking through binoculars at a girl while she was undressing in her room!, a scene where a boy was about to sexually assault a girl in a car and numerous allusions to sex. This should have rated at least a 3 on your little icons. The violence that was most disturbing involved a boy shoving the girl (hard) who he had attempted to sexually assault. That is not "flirting and kissing". The language was also much worse than your review lead me to believe.

  14. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Washington
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language

    for 5 and up

    I laughed at this movie, it is a great historic comedy for 5 and up!

  15. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Virginia
    I rate this title iffy for age 9 and give it 0.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language

    You should think twice before letting young kids view this

    After reading that there were "bits of language," I was shocked at how often the language was objectionable. They used the Lord's name in vain frequently, and they used other profanities quite regularly throughout the movie. It was much worse than I had anticipated.

  16. I rate this title on for age 11 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language

    good movie

    good movie but a lot of language

  17. Teen Reviewer Age 17
    Lives in Oregon
    I rate this title iffy for age 9 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

  18. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language

    Intense language and sexual content.

  19. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title iffy for age 7 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content

  20. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive consumerism

    Advertising and violence should not dissuage

    The worst thing in the Back to the Future movies is all of the really obvious product placement. There's also a little violence when Doc gets shot in the chest and Marty gets shot at in the 1950s. Generally though, it's a very entertaining movie and one of my favorites. I think it's fine for youngish kids.

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