Parents' Guide to Gone in 60 Seconds

Movie PG-13 2000 118 minutes
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Common Sense Media Review

By Nell Minow , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 13+

Check your brain at the door, enjoy with popcorn.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 13+

Based on 3 parent reviews

age 12+

Based on 9 kid reviews

What's the Story?

In GONE IN 60 SECONDS, reformed car thief Memphis (Nicolas Cage) must get back into the game to save his brother, Kip (Giovanni Ribisi). Kip reveres his older brother's mastery of the grand theft auto as a Zen art form, but he also resents him for walking away from that life and from his family. Kip is supposed to steal 50 cars for a very mean guy with an English accent and a passion for woodwork. When Kip blows it, the baddie tells Memphis that he has to get the 50 cars in four days, or Kip goes into the car-size trash compacter. The screen shows a countdown as we see Memphis put it all together. The car thieves tangle with a gang that thinks they should be the ones to get this steal-for-order assignment, some even worse nemeses, and the cops (Delroy Lindo and Timothy Olyphant).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 3 ):
Kids say ( 9 ):

Gone in 60 Seconds is a check-your-brain-at-the-door, dig into some popcorn, sit back and enjoy summer explosion movie, brought to you by the same folks who did Con Air. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer has this formula down cold: top acting talent (Oscar-winners Cage, Angelina Jolie, and Robert Duvall, along with rising star Ribisi and the sensationally talented Lindo), some snappy dialogue, a cool and clever hero, and lots and lots of chases, all done with such panache that even a "my dog ate it" plot twist doesn't derail things.

Memphis and the cop both long to capture one elusive prize. For Memphis, it is "Eleanor," the '67 Mustang he never managed to steal successfully. For the cop, it is Memphis himself, the one thief he never managed to catch.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the way that the movie "disinfects" the hero-thief by giving him (1) a good motive, (2) a commitment to going straight, (3) even worse bad guys, (4) loyal friends who demonstrate that he is worthy of respect and affection, and (5) a resolution that seems fair to everyone. They may also want to talk about how vulnerable everyone is to crime, and how to protect themselves and their property.

Movie Details

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