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  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 12, age appropriate for kids over 14; suggested age 14.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    Exciting mix of thrills, comedy; older teens and up.

Themes in this movie include:   family relationships, honesty

Why We Rated This on for Ages 14 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Honesty is the best policy in this film about a married couple that is hiding big secrets from each other. Their relationship is much improved once they both end their charades and tell each other the truth.
 

What to watch out for

  • Role models :

    The main characters are a husband and wife who both have much to hide from each other; she is involved in a flirtatious near-affair and ends up pretending to be a secret agent, while he actually is a real spy who has convinced his family that he’s a dull computer salesman.

  • Violence:

    Lots of action, including explosions, car chases, shootouts, fistfights and even a nuclear explosion. Though there’s little blood or gore, the hand-to-hand sequences can be intense -- the muscular hero dispatches several villains by snapping their necks.

  • Sex:

    A bored housewife, pretending to be a secret agent who is pretending to be a hooker, performs a sexy striptease in her underwear. Some characters discuss gender relations in highly sexist terms.

  • Language:

    Lots of swearing. Everything from “f--k,” “s--t” and “a--hole” to “d--k,” “bitch” and “p---y.”

  • Consumerism:

    A few references to well-known musicians. Car logos are often visible, including a classic Corvette that plays an important role in the plot.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Some social drinking and smoking. A pack of cigarettes plays a key role in the story. One character is captured by terrorists and given a truth serum.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About True Lies

Parents need to know that this entertaining thriller combines an action blockbuster (that means lots of big explosions) and a screwball comedy about a married couple who are both hiding big secrets. The wife is contemplating an affair and ends up being pressured to pretend she’s a secret agent, while the husband is the real deal, a suave superspy who has convinced his family that he’s actually a boring computer salesman. Not only does it deliver plenty of excitement, it also has some astute things to say about honesty and ennui in marriage. The wife performs a risqué striptease in her underwear, and there’s a good deal of swearing. Also expect plenty of violence, including gunfights, car chases, some graphic hand-to-hand combat, and even a nuclear explosion.

Read our full review by Will Wade

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about honesty. The main characters lie to each other throughout most of the film. How does their relationship change once they start telling the truth? Do you think it’s plausible for a secret agent to hide his dangerous activities from his family?
  • How does the film portray terrorists? Made in 1994, after the first Gulf War, but before Sept. 11, the villains are Arab extremists, though it doesn’t identify where they come from or touch on religion. Do you think the media’s views about Middle Eastern militants have changed since then?
  • Is it acceptable today to demonize people from the Middle East? World War II-era films often made Nazis the go-to bad-guys -- can you think of other groups that have served that role?
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