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Parents' Guide to

Point Break (1991)

By Tracy Moore, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

'90s hit with intense action, graphic violence, and surfing.

Movie R 1991 122 minutes
Point Break (1991) Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 4 parent reviews

doctora
doctora Parent of 5-year-old
June 3, 2022
age 17+

Yes please...

It took me a minute to get to this film and now that I have seen it all of the side jokes in Thor: Ragnarok and other films and tv shows finally have come into focus. The relationship between Reeves and Swayze feels stronger than Reeves and Petty. What is clear from this film is how nuanced Swayze was as an actor and performer. Bigelow's camera work and storytelling offers a hetero-female gaze that is interesting for it's novelty. This film captures the Extreme Sports craze well and has aged well, along with it's star.
Bixente
Bixente Adult
December 9, 2021
age 12+

Point break

It's a really good film but it's violent there is a lot of blood swearing and death , kids at the age of 12 can watch this but not younger kids

This title has:

Great messages
Too much violence
Too much swearing
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Agent Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves) is on the case tracking a group of violent bank robbers when he's led to a thrill-seeking bunch of surfers led by Bodhi (Patrick Swayze), who may or may not fit the bill. The friendships he forms leave him enamored of surfing but confused about how to do his job due to the strange newfound respect he has for the criminals he's tracking and their adventure-seeking lifestyle.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (20 ):

This is a high-action, intense, outrageous film that manages to blend a lot of action movies into one. There are gorgeous surfing shots, intense bank-robbery scenes, violent shoot-outs, turf wars, and unlikely friendships that offer buddy-picture tropes on both sides of the law. It's Keanu Reeves at his best, playing the unassuming smart guy who comes off as dumb and likable enough to infiltrate a group of surfers who teach him about the real meaning of thrills and adventure with a dose of cheesy California spirituality.

Older teens already inured to violent films may find this retro-amusing, and there are some interesting questions about doing the right thing when the criminal you're tracking becomes not only a source of admiration and respect but also a friend. Though the acting and pace are satisfying for a big blockbuster night, it's way too over the top in terms of violence, profanity, and general lawlessness to be a good fit for kids.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about surfing movies. What makes them so fascinating? Does this seem like an accurate portrayal of surfing culture? Why, or why not?

  • Was Agent Utah's decision at the film's end the right one? Why did he make that choice?

  • Why are such graphically violent movies so popular? What do they say about our culture?

  • Have you seen the remake of this movie? How does it compare?

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