 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Bugsy Malone
- Review Date: May 29, 2007
- G
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 1976
Common Sense Media says
Jodie Foster stars in goofy kid mobster movie.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that while all the violence here involves cream pies and cream-loaded "splurge guns," there's still menace behind it and characters do "die" of their cream-filled wounds. There are cream massacres and cream-pie hits. There's also a great deal of sexualization of tween girls, with young girls saying that they watch their figures and dancing suggestively. Jodie Foster's character sings about how the men in the audience "don't have to be lonely."
What's the story?
A pre-Happy Days, Charles in Charge, and Diagnosis Murder Scott Baio stars as Bugsy, a good guy who frequents a speakeasy and falls for ingénue Blousy Brown (Florrie Dugger). But when mobster Dandy Dan (Martin Lev) employs a new "splurge gun" that targets its victims with a steady stream of whipped cream, he threatens the life and livelihood of Blousy, Bugsy, and Fat Sam (John Cassissi), the head of a mob family that still uses old-school technology of pies in the face to vanquish his foes. Can Bugsy help save Fat Sam's empire and keep his promises to Blousy, without falling prey to the advances of chanteuse Tallulah (Jodie Foster)?
Is it any good?
As a spoof of serious mobster movies like The Godfather, Bugsy Malone is a delight, with some excellent performances by child actors. Sure, the plot is silly, but it's meant to be. After all, what could be less scary and threatening than a gun that shoots what looks like spit balls? And it's fun to watch the whole cast degenerate into the equivalent of a food fight at the end. These are just kids, the film makes clear.
Where the film seems less clear about the age of its stars is in its treatment of the tween girls in the film. Girls who have yet to develop any curves say they're "watching their weight," chorus girls perform slightly sexy dance moves, and Tallulah sings to the men that they "don't have to be lonely." Yikes. Kids watching it may not be aware of what that means, but parents may want to talk to their young children about it.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about what it means to act like an adult. Kids: How would you act if you were suddenly told you had to be a grown-up? Girls: What do you think about the characters who say they need to watch their weight? Parents: See our tips on talking to kids about body image.
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Kid, 12 years old
May 25, 2010
AGE
Violence (G): Kids use splurgers to freeze each other in time.
Sexual Content (PG): Little girls wearing sexy stage outfits, little smoochings.
Language (G): One use of hell.
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Kid, 12 years old
May 16, 2010
AGE
Bugsy taches enemys to be freinds.
Violence(green): Children fight with whipped cream filled guns, freezing each other when shot.
Sexual Content (green): Girls wear sexy outfits, Tallulah smoochs Bugsy, flirting with him, there is a realationship between Bugsy and Blousey.
Language (green): One use of hell.
Drugs/Tobacco/Alchohol (white): Fat Sam owns a bar where underaged drinkers drink beers and root beers.
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AGE
It's Awsome
its one of my favorite movies. It fun to watch. and has a twist in it. My cousin was in a musical of it. once I saw the play I knew I was ready for the movie!
age 8
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AGE
9+
Very funny, a good watch, but more for older children. Comedy gun violence, and good end message
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AGE
okay
I'm in a stage version, and have to disagree with common sense. splurges don't kill, they 'put people in their place'. but that might just have been our director's idea because we have a smallish cast. tallula flirts with bugsy, and blousey and bugsy go out for icecream, but it's really not scary or anything
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| Topics: | music and sing-along |
| Studio: | Panorama Entertainment |
| Director: | Alan Parker |
| Cast: | Florrie Dugger, Jodie Foster, Scott Baio |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 93 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | May 29, 1976 |
| DVD release date: | October 11, 2005 |
| MPAA rating: | G |
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