Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sentimental '80s romantic adventure has mild cursing.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Always (1989)
What's the Story?
Firefighter pilots Pete Sandich (Richard Dreyfuss) and Dorinda Durston (Holly Hunter) know that their love will last for ALWAYS. After Pete's heroically saves his best friend Al (John Goodman) mid-flight, Pete's plane goes down. As Dorinda and Al try to pick up the pieces of their grief-stricken lives, Pete learns that he'll be returning to the world of firefighting as the guiding spirit for a young pilot who happens to be in love with Dorinda. Pete's attempts to sabotage Ted and Dorinda only cause him further pain. Can he learn to let Dorinda love again?
Is It Any Good?
Steven Spielberg's afterlife romance is mildly entertaining, best appreciated by those who like a healthy serving of sappiness alongside. And knowing that Always is a remake of a 1943 Spencer Tracy/Irene Dunne movie may help those in the eyeroll camp forgive the scenes where the music starts to swell, and swell some more. The action sequences are few and far between, but Spielberg's knack for creating and maintaining tension and suspense is well on display.
Dreyfuss and Hunter are most effective in the in-between moments, when their natural talents and finely-honed acting establish relatable characters we care about. Big-emotion scenes, which both actors also handle well, unfortunately feel too set up, as though the movie's pausing so they can get an "Oscar-worthy" moment out of it. Adults with high expectations of the strong cast and crew (Audrey Hepburn's last movie!) may feel disappointment that it doesn't live up to all that potential, but teen romance fans who can handle the themes of grief, the afterlife, and the occasional strong language will enjoy this solid love story.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Always portrays the afterlife. Who or what is Hap? What do you think happens to people after they die?
What other Steven Spielberg movies have you seen? How does this one compare? Which is your favorite?
Did you learn anything about how airplanes are used to fight fires? How could you learn more?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 22, 1989
- On DVD or streaming : July 20, 1999
- Cast : Richard Dreyfuss , Holly Hunter , John Goodman , Audrey Hepburn
- Director : Steven Spielberg
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studios : Universal Pictures , United Artists
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Courage
- Run time : 122 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate