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Parents' Guide to

Roxanne

By Betsy Bozdech, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Charming '80s romantic comedy has innuendo, swearing.

Movie PG 1987 107 minutes
Roxanne Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Sam1980
Sam1980 Adult
May 15, 2020
age 13+

Steve Martin comedy

Overall, We enjoyed this. There are a moderate amount of sexual references, alcohol, bullying, & swearing. Our 12 year old son enjoyed the story line, & we liked the overall message of inner beauty “winning” over outer beauty.

This title has:

Great messages
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
crankylibrarian
crankylibrarian Parent
January 3, 2014
age 11+

Slightly steamy, funny with an impeccable literary pedigree

Anything by Steve Martin is probably a good bet, but this tale of a small town fire chief, his haplessly inept team, and his rivalry with a younger but much dumber stud for a beautiful neighbor is particularly appealing. And what better way to introduce your kids to the classic Cyrano De Bergerac? Admittedly it lacks the bittersweet romance of the source material; on the other hand everyone gets the happy ending they deserve without dying on a battlefield. Some concerns: although Martin's C.D. is far less mindlessly violent than the original character, he takes a bit too much glee in punching out his opponent for my taste. Roxanne is supposed to be an astrophysicist, yet we don't see much evidence of this (she occasionally dons spectacles to look smart and she needs help lugging around a telescope, but that's it).

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

As the intellectual, frequently exasperated fire chief of a quaint small town in Colorado, C.D. Bales (Steve Martin) has found a comfortable niche for himself -- and, overall, acceptance for his unusual facial feature: an extremely long, large nose. Although newcomers occasionally need reminding (sometimes forcefully) that nasal insults won't be tolerated, for the most part C.D. is satisfied with his life. Then smart, beautiful astronomer ROXANNE (Daryl Hannah) comes to town for the summer, throwing C.D. for a loop and leaving him instantly smitten. But his hopes fade in the face of Roxanne's attraction to fellow town newbie Chris (Rick Rossovich), a traditionally handsome firefighter who has his own issues (talking to women makes him so nervous that he runs away). C.D. soon finds himself helping Chris woo Roxanne by proxy, supplying the eloquent words that win her heart -- if not the body that warms her bed. But what happens if the deception is discovered?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (4 ):

Martin both stars in and wrote the screenplay for this updated take on Edmond Rostand's classic play Cyrano de Bergerac, and it's brimming with his brand of witty, whimsical humor. Stand-out comic scenes include C.D.'s epic response to a restaurant patron who dares to call him "big nose" -- C.D. proceeds to come up with 20 better insults, leaving his fellow diners (and audiences) in stitches -- and a sequence in which C.D. and Chris use the fire/police radio to communicate during Chris' date with Roxanne, only to have things go off the rails when an emergency broadcast cuts in.

Roxanne ​also is sweetly, genuinely romantic. C.D.'s expressions of love are so eloquent and heartfelt that you fall for him right alongside Roxanne. If it's somewhat hard to believe that she'd fall for his and Chris' scheme even for a little while, just chalk it up to the mood of magical realism that permeates the whole movie. In C.D. and Roxanne's world, you just might discover true love and a new comet on the same night.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Roxanne's messages. What do Chris and C.D. learn about telling the truth and being themselves? Why is it problematic to start a relationship under false pretenses?

  • What role does sex play in the movie? Do characters treat it seriously, casually, or both? Parents, talk to your kids about your own values regarding sex and relationships.

  • How does this version compare to the original Cyrano tale?

  • How do the characters in Roxanne demonstrate humility and integrity? Why are these important character strengths?

Movie Details

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