Common Sense Media Review
Romantic adventure has thrills, racist stereotypes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
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Romancing the Stone
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 6 parent reviews
Based on 19 kid reviews
Kids say this movie is a mix of romance and adventure, but its content is controversial, particularly regarding violence, sexual themes, and strong language, leading many to suggest it is more suitable for older children. While some viewers enjoyed the humor and action, others found it inappropriate for younger audiences due to graphic scenes and stereotypes.
- action-packed adventure
- inappropriate content
- age recommendations
- mixed reviews
- humor and romance
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In ROMANCING THE STONE, Joan Wilder (Kathleen Turner) is a famous romance novelist who's starved for adventure and love in her own life. When her sister is kidnapped, Joan heads to Colombia on a rescue mission and meets Jack Colton (Michael Douglas), a brash adventurer who helps her escape the corrupt police who want the treasure map sent to her by her dead brother-in-law. As they make their way through the jungle, Jack romances Joan, but his intentions are dubious: He wants the treasure for himself. Meanwhile, a smuggler named Ralph (Danny Devito) and police officials, led by Zolo (Manuel Ojeda), are hot on their trail.
Is It Any Good?
Robert Zemeckis' action-packed adventure movie is laced with a sharp sense of humor. Romancing the Stone features jungle-vine swinging and mudslides down mountainsides, its rough-and-tumble story recalling the spirit of the Indiana Jones movies -- including, unfortunately, much of the racism that also marred otherwise-thrilling tales like Raiders of the Lost Ark. On the upside, Turner and Douglas generate plenty of sparks, as screenwriter Diane Thomas infuses her script with a delicious tongue-in-cheek quality. And the film's saxophone-heavy score evokes a 1980s Miami Vice-type swagger that keeps the mood energetic and fun.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the stereotypes in Romancing the Stone. Why are Colombian men stereotyped as violent and dangerous in this movie? What effect do you think this stereotyping has on how you might perceive Colombian men in real life?
Is Joan a strong female lead? Does she fall into the trap of being a damsel in distress, or is she empowered to take care of herself and others? Or does she do both?
The vast majority of spoken Spanish in the film is left unsubtitled. How much of it did you understand? Why do you think filmmakers chose not to subtitle Colombians' conversations? And had their dialogue been subtitled, would it have changed your perception of the characters who were talking?
If you were in Joan's shoes, would you have felt betrayed by Jack's actions? Would it have been as easy for you to forgive him by the movie's end?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 30, 1984
- On DVD or streaming : May 25, 1999
- Cast : Danny DeVito , Kathleen Turner , Michael Douglas
- Director : Robert Zemeckis
- Studio : Twentieth Century Fox
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Adventures
- Run time : 106 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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