Parents' Guide to

Mr. Mom

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Classic '80s comedy with some salty language, racy scenes.

Movie PG 1983 91 minutes
Mr. Mom Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 12+

Based on 3 parent reviews

PipSqueak241144
PipSqueak241144 Adult
May 10, 2020
age 10+

Gr

Joe B.
Joe B. Adult
November 27, 2017
age 15+

Classic Humor

Since Kids can’t possibly relate to the working Dad and stay home Mom partnership, most of the ironies will be missed by people under 30. But everyone will pick up on the basic premise that being a stay home Mom isn’t a vacation as Jack “Michael Keaton” soon discovers. The movie is full of dated technology but like with many classic comedies, simple straight forward humor is timeless. This movie is full of lines that stand the test of time “Yea, 220,221 whatever it takes” All the characters work perfectly in their roles and the movie never gets old. Something you can watch once a year and still enjoy.

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What's the Story?

When he's laid off from his job as an automotive engineer, Jack (Michael Keaton) becomes MR. MOM, a stay-at-home dad in charge of three kids and the household, while his wife Caroline (Teri Garr), a former ad exec, dusts off her shoulder-padded suits to prove herself worthy in the boardroom. Jack and his mommy friends play poker with coupons; Caroline applies domestic know-how to land a tuna campaign; Jack conquers a wayward vacuum cleaner; and Caroline fends off her randy boss. In the end, Jack realizes his wife does more than he can ever imagine while he is away, and Caroline realizes she can hold her own in the corporate world.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (7 ):

Decades after it was first released in theaters, this movie remains as relevant as ever; stay-at-home dads may not be that rare anymore, but what keeps this comedy fresh is its humor. Simply put, it's hilarious. In the hands of lesser thespians, Jack and Caroline would have merely become caricatures. But in Keaton and Garr, they are layered and conflicted and always funny.

The results of the switch aren't all that surprising -- it's the journey to Jack and Caroline's epiphanies that makes Mr. Mom worthwhile. In the end, the movie takes a position: Men and women are equal, at home and at work. It's not a new life lesson, but how fun it is to be reminded.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about gender roles in Mr. Mom. How was it hard for the homemaker to become the breadwinner and vice-versa? The idea of a househusband was a novelty in the '80s -- has that changed? Caroline's boss blatantly hits on her. Could an employer behave this way today? What more recent movies have you seen that show men in domestic roles?

  • Could this movie be remade and placed in a contemporary setting? Why or why not? What would be different? What would be the same?

  • Besides attitudes toward gender roles, what are some other ways in which this movie is firmly placed in the realities of the early 1980s?

Movie Details

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