Father and child sit together smiling while looking at a smart phone.

Want more recommendations for your family?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration

Parents' Guide to

Foul Play

By Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Farcical '70s comedy-mystery hybrid has violence, profanity.

Movie PG 1978 116 minutes
Foul Play Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all
age 13+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Carrie M.
Carrie M. Adult
January 1, 2020
age 11+

Loved this as a kid

I saw this movie when I first saw it, around age 10, and LOVED it. There is a romantic scene (w/kissing) that some kids may not enjoy but any violence is bloodless and pretty tame by today's standards. It's gripping/thrilling for middle schoolers without being too scary.
jmo97
jmo97 Adult
April 25, 2017
age 15+

Uneven, yet amusing. Older teens and up.

I found "Foul Play" to be an overall good film. It features an interesting murder mystery, and I liked Goldie Hawn in this film. Although, I thought the film had too many awkward attempts at humor to really be something more, not to mention the romance feels rushed and forced. Nevertheless, it is still entertaining. The one scene I would advise parents to be careful with is an attempted seduction scene where a man tries to impress a woman with all the sexual objects and suggestive figures he has in his apartment (it was the most awkward scene for me in the film). There is some kissing, and one other scene where a couple wakes up in bed (though no nudity). There is occasional violence (some nongraphic shootings with little to no blood, a man falling out a window, and some fisticuffs) and foul language (language is at most PG-13 by today's standards, but there's one comical scene involving the f-word on a scrabble board). I don't think the movie's great, but I think it's worth watching. Just only with mature and older teens because of the inappropriate material present. 7.0/10

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Gloria Mundy (Goldie Hawn) can't catch a break in FOUL PLAY. Still wary of dating after a difficult divorce, she's focusing on her job as a librarian and spending time with friends -- at least until she meets Scott, a man who seems nice enough, at least nice enough to see a movie with. But Scott, poor guy, isn't what he seems. After he secretly places something in a Marlboro cigarette box, drops it into her purse, whispers something in her ear, then dies in the seat next to her, dripping blood into her popcorn, Gloria Mundy is in for the ride of her life. It seems everyone is after her and she has no idea why. With the help of a very attentive detective (Chevy Chase), a snake-loving landlord (Burgess Meredith), and a few other hardy souls, Gloria must outwit a gangster, a terrifying albino, a dwarf, and an evil bishop, all who are part of a nefarious plot to assassinate a very important man. And then there's that oversexed fellow (Dudley Moore) who can't seem to get out of his own way. What is in that Marlboro box? Is the pushy dwarf really a Bible salesman? What (and whom) is the bishop trying to hide? Will Gloria fall in love with the clumsy detective? And finally, what more terrifying surprises are in for the trusting librarian?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

In this purposefully Hitchcock-light comic-mystery, there are enough laughs and outrageous characters to compensate for its silly plot, outlandishly inept villains, and predictable romance. Both Chevy Chase and Dudley Moore had their first major motion picture roles in Foul Play, and in the case of Moore, it was a breakout performance. Over the decades, "Stanley Tibbets" (Moore) remains a vivid example of hilarious, vanity-free acting. Hawn, too, is at the height of her adorable, ingenuous sincerity. Writer-director Colin Higgins gleefully celebrates Alfred Hitchcock, borrowing music, plot elements, and suspenseful set pieces directly from the master. Seen again, decades after its theatrical release, it's an uneven film but with enough memorable and original material to remind fans why they liked it so much the first time around. Fine for teens, even mature tweens, but the graphic violence, even though much of it is meant as humor, makes it inappropriate for most kids.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the fact that Foul Play has been described as a comic "tribute" (or "homage") to Alfred Hitchcock movies. If you're familiar with Hitchcock's films, what specifically reminds you of his work? Did you recognize any of the music? Any of the suspenseful scenes? How did the filmmakers make Hitchcock's original ideas humorous?

  • This film blends romance, comedy, and mystery. What kind of challenges do you think a filmmaking team faces when trying to combine all three genres (i.e., making a scary scene funny or a funny scene romantic)? Do you think writer-director Colin Higgins accomplished his goal?

  • Look up the film term "false jeopardy." Which scenes in this film fit into that category?

  • How does the portrayal of Gloria Mundy reveal the era in which the film was made (1978)? How might that character be different in a present-day film?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

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.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

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