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Parents' Guide to

Hope Floats

By Carly Kocurek, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Redemptive drama ready made for family viewing.

Movie PG-13 1998 114 minutes
Hope Floats Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 5 parent reviews

Hatehercules
Hatehercules Adult
June 24, 2022
age 14+

Excellent movie. Great chick flick. But common sense media has it wrong. There is a little bit of sexy stuff in it.

Common sense media has it wrong when they say there is no sexy stuff. There’s a scene where the main character talks with another character about how they kissed during a spin the bottle episode. The main female character mentions that this male character put his tongue in her mouth when kissing. Just thought I would mention that. Overall, I absolutely love this movie. It is such a touching movie. I think it gets bad reviews because it is considered melodramatic but movie reviewers always have a political agenda. This is a good movie and well acted. All the characters do a great job in my opinion. A great chick flick.
Sandra R.
Sandra R. Parent
June 28, 2017
age 10+

Awesome movie

I love this movie. I have seen it so many times. I love it. It's one of my all-time favorites. It's right up there with dirty dancing. Practical magic and overboard. I've probably seen it at least a hundred times and it still makes me cry.
See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

When Birdie Pruitt (Sandra Bullock) finds out about her husband's affair on a national talk show, she packs up her daughter Bernice (Mae Whitman) and heads back to Smithville, TX to live with her mother Ramona (Gena Rowlands). Back home, Birdie must confront the folks who have known her and her ex-husband their whole lives. As the town wonders out loud what might have gone wrong between the star quarterback and the beauty queen, Birdie tries to make peace with her mother and find a job. Of course, this being a romantic comedy, Birdie has to fall in love. The lucky man in this particular story is Justin Matisse (Harry Connick Jr.), who has moved back to Smithville from California and is working as a handyman.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5 ):
Kids say (2 ):

For the most part, it's easy, unchallenging entertainment; nothing's really wrong with the film, it just lacks distinction. If HOPE FLOATS has any lesson at its core, it's that there's nothing like your hometown to humble you. Forest Whitaker's direction manages to avoid any serious pitfalls. The greatest attraction the film has to offer is the inimitable Gena Rowlands as Birdie's eccentric, quick-witted mother.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the difficulty Birdee has moving home. Birdee calls her mother "the town joke" and says she was embarrassed of her mother as a child. Do other characters in the film seem to see Ramona Calvert as a joke? How does moving home humble Birdie? Families may also want to discuss Ramona Calvert's death, as it may be troubling to young viewers.

Movie Details

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