Parents' Guide to

Night Shift

By Brian Costello, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Prostitution, nudity, violence in dated '80s comedy.

Movie R 1982 106 minutes
Night Shift Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

age 17+

Based on 1 parent review

age 17+

Nostalgic

Chuck and Bill are just two guys that work at a morgue in gritty New York they get themselves into a side business of prostitution

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

While enjoyable for the odd nostalgia of seeing the older, dirtier New York City in all its slimy splendor, NIGHT SHIFT isn't as funny as it once was for any number of reasons. For starters, there's the questionable premise of finding humor in pimps and prostitution. In terms of content, it seems like director Ron Howard was trying to give fellow Happy Days cast member Henry Winkler the chance to play someone who's nowhere near as cool as The Fonz, and while he often pulls off playing a human doormat, there's still the lingering idea that another actor would have been a better fit. And Michael Keaton plays the archetypal rock-and-roll wild man, and while he's a character bursting with quips and catchphrases, Billy Blaze isn't exactly a timeless character.

While not totally the movie's fault, such "buddy movies" in which a square and a free spirit are thrown together to face the same situation became a staple of '80s comedies, cop movies, and tearjerker dramas to such a saturation point, it's still a played-out premise. Which makes Night Shift a decent period piece, but that's about it.

Movie Details

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