Parents' Guide to Ocean's Eleven

Movie PG-13 2001 116 minutes
Ocean's Eleven movie poster: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and others stand coolly in a row

Common Sense Media Review

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

age 13+

Fun but morally gray heist movie celebrates con artists.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 12+

Based on 13 parent reviews

Parents say the movie is generally seen as a fun heist film with minimal violence, making it suitable for older children and families, though some reviewers noted a few questionable elements like strong language and suggestive content which may not be appropriate for younger viewers. While many praise its engaging plot and classic feel, opinions vary significantly, with some finding it disappointing despite its star-studded cast.

  • fun heist film
  • family-friendly
  • strong language
  • engaging plot
  • mixed reviews
  • questionable content
Summarized with AI

age 11+

Based on 44 kid reviews

What's the Story?

In OCEAN'S ELEVEN, a loose remake of the 1960 film starring Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack, George Clooney plays Sinatra's part, Danny Ocean. Just out of prison, Danny has an idea about robbing three casinos of $150 million. The only problem is that the vault that holds all of their cash is "a security system that rivals that of most nuclear silos." But Danny figures that if he can get a good team together and a bankroll for some equipment, he can make it work, Mission: Impossible-style. So Danny connects with his former partner-in-crime, Rusty (Brad Pitt), and they gather a team of men with various criminal talents.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 13 ):
Kids say ( 44 ):

With enough Hollywood star power to light all the neon signs in Nevada, this is good, old-fashioned, heist film fun. Part of the pleasure of Ocean's Eleven is that we feel like we're listening in on real conversations, possibly even leaning forward as though each of us is in on the deal with them.

One problem, though, is that there are just too many goodies on screen. It's hard to adjust expectations for star turns by the high-wattage cast (which includes Matt Damon, Bernie Mac, Don Cheadle, and Julia Roberts, to name just a few). There are so many stars that we don't get to spend enough time with any of them. But veterans Elliott Gould and Carl Reiner are magnificent in small roles. And Pitt turns in a performance of effortless charm, subtle and witty, completely in service to the character and yet still movie-star mesmerizing.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why heist films like Ocean's Eleven are perennially popular. What do we enjoy so much about seeing a robbery? Is it the fantasy of instant millions? The fun of seeing how they solve the unsolvable logistical problems?

  • How do the writer and director make us root for the crooks? Is it all in good fun, or is this irresponsible? Why?

  • Which character did you like the most? How do they all demonstrate teamwork? Why is this an important character strength?

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

Ocean's Eleven movie poster: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and others stand coolly in a row

What to Watch Next

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