Heartburn
By Brian Costello,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
'80s comedy-drama has mature themes, profanity.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Heartburn
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
Rachel Samstat (Meryl Streep) is a successful food writer living in New York City. At a wedding, she meets Mark Forman (Jack Nicholson), a Washington, D.C. columnist. The two hit it off, fall in love, and get married, despite Rachel's reservations about getting married once again and Mark's reputation as a ladies' man who avoids commitment. Rachel moves to D.C., and the newly married couple attempt to rehab a row house as they begin to start a family. Rachel has never been happier until she begins to suspect that Mark is having an affair. When she learns that her suspicions are true, she goes back to New York City with their baby (while pregnant with their second child) and begins to try to pick up the pieces of her shattered life, even as Mark makes an attempt at reconciliation.
Is It Any Good?
Excellent acting and an intelligent script keeps HEARTBURN from being lumped in with other 1980s comedy-dramas that haven't aged as well. Despite occasional forays into clichéd New York City parochialism -- at one point, Meryl Streep's character, about to move to D.C. from Manhattan, laments how, "You can't get a decent bagel in Washington, D.C.!" -- and the large glasses and big perms of the time, the film goes beyond its time and place to explore timeless themes of love, marriage, and infidelity.
The comedy and the drama perfectly balance each other out; the humor keeps the serious concerns from being too dour, and the drama keeps the movie from being too lighthearted or meaningless. The result is a poignant exploration of life before, during, and after a marriage that somehow finds hope in the face of cynical despair. It's when these issues -- marriage, monogamy, fidelity -- are confronted head-on that Heartburn attains a timeless relevance.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the movie's themes. How are marriage, love, infidelity, motherhood, and the work/life balance explored throughout this movie?
The screenplay was written by Nora Ephron and is based on her book of the same title, inspired by her marriage to Carl Bernstein, one of the two Washington Post journalists best known for uncovering the Watergate scandal. What do you see as the challenges in creating movies or books rooted in autobiography? How would this movie be different if it were told from the husband's viewpoint?
This movie came out in 1986. If it were to be remade in contemporary times, what aspects do you think would be done differently? What would remain the same?
Movie Details
- In theaters: July 25, 1986
- On DVD or streaming: July 6, 2004
- Cast: Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson, Jeff Daniels
- Director: Mike Nichols
- Studio: Paramount Pictures
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Book Characters
- Run time: 108 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- Last updated: March 4, 2023
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
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Drama Movies That Tug at the Heartstrings
Romantic Comedies
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