Parents' Guide to

Set It Off

By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Friends rob banks in '90s adventure; violence, cursing.

Movie R 1996 123 minutes
Set It Off Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

In SET IT OFF, four childhood girlfriends from the 'hood are fed up with their lives of hardship and relegation to second-class status. Bank teller Frankie (Vivica A. Fox) is falsely accused of collusion when someone she happens to know from the projects robs her bank. Then the college-bound young brother of cleaning lady Stony (Jada Pinkett Smith) is needlessly killed by police. Justifiable anger, resentment, and a sense of futility move Frankie to suggest they get back at the establishment, use her knowledge of banking procedures, and rob some banks. Cleo (Queen Latifah), a convicted car thief, provides weapons and getaway cars. Struggling single mom TT (Kimberly Elise) is motivated to participate after she loses her child to social welfare because she can't afford babysitting while she works. No spoiler alert is necessary to predict that their plan can only end in tragedy.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

This movie boasts solid performances by Queen Latifah, Pinkett Smith, Fox, and Elise. These are roles that in more conventional movies would be played by men, making this interesting even if just for that reason. Most older teens will already have been exposed to movies with equal or greater doses of violence, drug use, sexual content, language, and social commentary. Set It Off feels a bit long, but that won't keep keen young viewers from observing the unfairness of the way minorities are treated and how difficult it can be to live comfortable and productive lives without the availability of safe and high-quality housing and public education. The vivid, believable characters Gary Gray creates here are seemingly far too smart to rob a bank, and that makes their actions less than plausible at times. But the fact that they believe they have no alternative speaks volumes about their lives.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what kind of desperation would persuade people that robbing banks would be better than suffering in their own difficult lives. Do you think the women in Set It Off felt that the system was rigged against them so they had nothing to lose?

  • Do you think better educational opportunities for working-class kids could help people get ahead? Why do you think kids drop out of inner-city schools? Do you think they believe they can't get a break because of societal prejudice?

  • Do you think the protagonists should have seen that their plan would end badly? Why might they have ignored the reality?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

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 suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

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