Parents' Guide to

Now You See Me

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Teen-appealing heist movie has a few intense fight scenes.

Movie PG-13 2013 116 minutes
Now You See Me Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 12+

Based on 16 parent reviews

Rita H.
Rita H. Parent of 9 and 13-year-old
March 31, 2023
age 14+

Good movie, watch out for some dialogues

The movie has a lot of intrigue. And keeps you well in the edge of your seat! The begging does not depicts great role models as the main characters are street robbers. However at the end they seem to embark in a mission to make sort of justice. Kids will need guidance, obviously in order to do not misunderstand. There are mention of masturbation in a dialogue and I found it unnecessary but that how they make movies nowadays unfortunately, hard to find great action movies completely clean.
quitefrankly...
quitefrankly... Adult
November 29, 2020
age 10+

Fast paced and fun

"Now You See Me" is quite frankly one of the best family friendly heist movies I have ever seen. It does feature the beginning of a sex scene but it doesn't show anything and its over super quick. it has some great acting from Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, and honestly pretty much the whole main cast. It has a great script and you never know what is going to happen next. This is one of those movies where "the closer you look,the less you see"
See all 16 parent reviews

What's the Story?

J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher), Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson), and Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) are four small-time magicians, escape artists, and mentalists who are recruited by an anonymous leader to execute a series of increasingly explanation-defying, crowd-pleasing tricks as a group called the Four Horsemen. Their first act together -- a Las Vegas feat that has them stealing 3 million euros from a Parisian bank via an unwitting audience member and a teleportation machine -- attracts the attention of FBI agent Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) and an Interpol staffer (Melanie Laurent). A billionaire mogul (Michael Caine) bankrolls their act, but even he isn't part of the inner circle. And neither is the former-magician-turned-professional-debunker (Morgan Freeman) who's on their case. Who are the Four Horsement, and what are their shows building up to? The ultimate magic trick?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (16):
Kids say (88):

NOW YOU SEE ME is, in its best moments, hugely entertaining. Large-scale tricks unveiled in Vegas, New Orleans, and NYC's graffiti mecca, Five Points, are a visual delight. They satisfy with skilled camera work, perfectly executed patter from the able cast, and efficient pacing.

But ultimately, the movie is an illusion that doesn't pay off. The best caper movies let you in on the caper, showing you how it's going to go down so that you can share in the thrill of getting away with it. Now You See Me does that, in some ways, but neglects to do so when it's most crucial -- it unmasks some of the trickery, but not all of it -- demanding viewers to continue to suspend their disbelief and rely on belated explanations rather than find out on their own. This is one of a few reasons the movie doesn't quite gel, despite being very entertaining. Add to that a puzzling secondary storyline about a budding romance (who cares?), a wasted Caine (still in fine form, but not given much to do after an initially satisfying introduction), and disappointing corny bits that frankly don't belong in a movie with this much potential. Less smoke and mirrors and more substance could have made this film a more memorable romp.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why the Four Horsemen did what they did. Are they motivated by greed, altruism, or a respect for their craft?

  • Now You See Me unmasks some magic tricks, including some fairly elaborate illusions that people readily believe. Why do you think they do? What is the film saying about performers like these?

  • Are the characters role models? Are they intended to be? Can you think of other law-breaking characters who are presented sympathetically?

Movie Details

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