Common Sense Media Review
Silly time-capsule comedy ideal for older tweens.
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Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 24 parent reviews
Parents say the movie is a funny and entertaining adventure that can be enjoyed by children, but some scenes and language may raise concerns for parents. While there are moments of suggestive humor and brief innuendos, many reviewers find it ultimately harmless and a positive, lighthearted experience for older kids and tweens.
- funny and entertaining
- suggestive humor
- minor language issues
- lighthearted experience
- suitable for older kids
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 60 kid reviews
Kids say this movie is a hilarious and entertaining adventure that mixes time travel with humor, making it a fun watch for older kids and teens, even though it contains crude humor, mild violence, and language that may not be suitable for younger audiences. While some consider it a classic 80s film with a goofy charm, others find its content inappropriate or overly silly, yet many appreciate its light-hearted nature and positive messages like friendship and kindness.
- funny adventure
- mild language
- inappropriate jokes
- 80s nostalgia
- fun for teens
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In BILL & TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE, slacker teens Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (Keanu Reeves) are more intent on landing Eddie Van Halen for their band Wyld Stallions than making it through high school. But if the boys don't get an A+ on their history report, they'll flunk out of school, and Ted will be on his way to military school in Alaska. Knowing only that Napoleon is "a short, dead dude" and guessing that Joan of Arc is "Noah's wife," the boys seem to be lost -- until a visitor from the future, Rufus (the perfectly cool George Carlin), appears in a magical phone booth to allow them to experience history first hand. They hatch a plan: Bring historical figures back and let them experience San Dimas -- and then take them to class. The plan goes perfectly, including a run-in at the mall, arrests, and other ensuing silliness.
Is It Any Good?
Some movies are irresistible junk food for the brain -- short, sweet, and so entertaining you want to watch them over and over again; this is one of those. It's a bonbon of a film, full of good looking, sweet scenes that make you feel giddy.
The great thing about Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure is that it's perfectly paced and perfectly acted. Say what you will about Reeves' wooden-feeling delivery -- it takes a certain level of brilliance to come up with a character who's both maddeningly dumb and completely lovable. And there are other great scenes. Released on a modern mall, the historical characters act out. Joan of Arc rallies the troupes of an aerobics class. Billy the Kid turns out to be a bad flirt. And with one tilt of his corndog, Sigmund Freud is proven to be a perv. It's delightfully silly and eminently watchable.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the "slacker" stereotype. What does that mean to you? Do you consider Bill and Ted to be slackers? Are they role models?
The "dudes" shred on guitar, and the "babes" are treated like prizes. Are those stereotypes? If so, what message does that send to viewers?
If you had a time machine, what time periods would you visit? Who would you want to visit, and why? Do you think the historical figures in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure really would have reacted the way they did? Would Joan of Arc, for instance, become an aerobics instructor?
Movie Details
- In theaters : February 17, 1989
- On DVD or streaming : December 4, 2001
- Cast : Alex Winter , George Carlin , Keanu Reeves
- Director : Stephen Herek
- Inclusion Information : Asian Movie Actor(s) , Polynesian/Pacific Islander Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : MGM/UA
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship , School ( High School ) , History
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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