City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold
Lackluster comedy sequel has crass and homophobic humor.
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold
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 suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold is the sequel to the 1991 buddy comedy, City Slickers, with some offensive and outdated humor. It centers on three middle-aged men -- Mitch (Billy Crystal), Phil (Daniel Stern) and Mitch's brother, Glen (Jon Lovitz) -- who head West to the same ranch as the original film in search of hidden treasure. Language is unsuitable for younger viewers, including "s--t," "bitch," and "ass." There is more sexual content than in the original, with sex portrayed beneath the sheets, as well as numerous sexual references. Humor can be crass, such as a character challenged with sucking snake poison from another's backside, and there are homophobic jokes. There is violence in the form of gunplay, horse stampedes, collapsing carts, and physical fighting. Smoking is shown on a few occasions, and alcohol is seen at a company celebration. Lacking the charm of the original, the film isn't appropriate for family viewing with children or younger teens.
Community Reviews
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
In CITY SLICKERS II: THE LEGEND OF CURLY'S GOLD, Mitch (Billy Crystal) and Phil (Daniel Stern) return to the cattle ranch with Mitch's brother Glen (Jon Lovitz) in tow. Only this time they're not searching for themselves, they're searching for hidden treasure. Using a map left to them by the late Curly (Jack Palance), they must use their combined skills, and a little luck, to find what it is they're looking for.
Is It Any Good?
Fans of the original may enjoy a return to the ranch and the buddy movie antics that follow, but this sequel never quite harnesses the charm of the first film. To its credit, Lovitz is a welcome addition to City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold as Mitch's hapless brother, offering a new dynamic to the story. While Palance is back as Curly's twin brother, Duke -- less grizzled but just as enjoyable to watch. Beyond that, the movie loses its way a bit. The focus is no longer on the relationships and the search for the characters' "smile," and more on the mechanics of the treasure hunt.
There's not a lot of originality involved either, but there are plenty of movie references to look out for, from The Godfather: Part II and Indiana Jones to The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and Little Rascals. A few moments of connection between the characters remain, but there's little in the way of growth or, in fact, humor beyond fairly base jokes. The plot just meanders through the generic points mapped out and never hits movie gold.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the theme of greed in City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold. How did it affect the characters' behavior?
Did you spot any references to other movies? Did you feel that they added anything to the experience?
The lead characters are straight, White men, and there are joking references to gender and sexuality. How did those come across? Do you think they would be received differently if the film was made today?
How was sex portrayed in the film? Was it affectionate? Respectful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
Movie Details
- In theaters: June 10, 1994
- On DVD or streaming: April 1, 2001
- Cast: Billy Crystal, Jack Palance, Daniel Stern
- Director: Paul Weiland
- Studio: Columbia Pictures
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Friendship, Horses and Farm Animals
- Run time: 116 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: comic sex scene and off color humor
- Last updated: February 25, 2023
Our Editors Recommend
-
City Slickers
'90s buddy comedy has cursing, violence, sexism.
-
Wild Wild West
Western action-comedy set in bordello; lots of gunfire.
-
A Million Ways to Die in the West
Overly crude jokes and gross-out humor drag comedy down.
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