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

In & Out

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Lighthearted comedy gently satirizes coming out.

Movie PG-13 1997 90 minutes
In & Out Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (3 ):

In IN & OUT, screenwriter Paul Rudnick (Addams Family Values, Jeffrey) cooks up a solid script that's both wildly funny and gently satirical. It takes on a potentially explosive topic -- the "coming out" of a gay man in a small town -- and lightens it up by looking at preconceived notions about homosexuality and turning thm upside down. Most of the stereotypical humor winds up directed right back at the clueless straight characters, and so the movie winds up happily poking fun at everyone (with the audience comfortably in on the joke).

it's virtually impossible to not root for the sweet, kind hero, appealingly played by a befuddled Kline. The rest of the cast is fine as well, with Cusack a particular standout as Howard's bride-to-be, who slowly, hilariously becomes unraveled over the course of the film (she received an Oscar nomination for her work). Director Frank Oz (Bowfinger, Death at a Funeral) keeps things bright and cheerful and prevents any meanness from creeping in.

Movie Details

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.

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