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Parents' Guide to

Basic Instinct

By Hollis Griffin, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Excessive whodunit is definitely not for kids.

Movie R 1992 123 minutes
Basic Instinct Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 16+

Based on 10 parent reviews

Shami S.
Shami S. Parent of 8-year-old
August 26, 2023
age 6+
Carlos P.
Carlos P. Adult
February 26, 2023
age 16+

Well acted and interesting, but it's sexually explicit and violent.

What Parents and Adult Guardians need to know is that, I have only watched the uncut and unrated version and obviously the unrated version was previously Rated NC-17 by the MPA, so it is obviously more sexually explicit. However, kids now adays are used to watch a lot of violence and sex, on the screen and graphic novels, etc. So this film should be just fine in my opinion for Ages 16 and Up Only. In my opinion, No one under 16 should watch Basic Instinct (Unrated version). Moving on to the movie and story, the movie is very entertaining and well acted. It is not a perfect movie, for starters, it has a very predictable ending, and is a bit, homophobic and sexist, but overall very enjoyable movie for Older Teens and Adults.
See all 10 parent reviews

What's the Story?

This over-the-top murder mystery features a bisexual blonde bombshell that may or may not be murdering people with an ice pick. Sharon Stone plays author Catherine Trammell with exuberance, adding a layer of irony to the stereotypical femme fatale role. Her foil, San Francisco police detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas), is enchanted with her and starts drinking, smoking, and snorting cocaine as he copes with his feelings for a woman who is likely a murderess.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (10 ):
Kids say (12 ):

A familiar scenario -- poor put-upon cop and his deadly, beautiful seducer -- is played to the hilt here. BASIC INSTINCT is nothing if not a hardboiled mystery movie taken through the roof with more sex, drugs, and bloody stabbings than are appropriate for younger viewers (or even many older viewers, for that matter).

It also suffers from an overuse of stereotypes. The film's treatment of female characters become (more) offensive when the detective manipulates, beats, and degrades Dr. Garner. This female character is devoted to him and risks her well-being to protect him from an overzealous police commission, even as Nick humiliates her at work and in the bedroom. Catherine Trammell's lesbian relationship is mostly ignored in favor of depicting her bedroom romps with the detective. Nevertheless, it's hard to overlook the film's use of the murderous lesbian stereotype because Catherine and her girlfriend are murder suspects throughout. The twisty-turny plot is enough to make this a compelling enough movie, yet a reliance on sex and violence clutters it.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the choices that Detective Curran makes in the film. How might his drinking and drug use have influenced his decision-making? Families might also discuss Detective Curran's relationship with Dr. Garner. Did he treat her fairly? Was she right to risk her job for him? Parents could also talk about the depiction of Catherine Trammell. Do you think she "did it"? Do you think she cared about the detective or was just manipulating him?

Movie Details

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