Common Sense Media Review
'90s musical comedy has violence, cursing.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
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Sister Act
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 7 parent reviews
Based on 20 kid reviews
Kids say this movie has a mix of opinions, with some finding it incredibly funny and enjoyable, particularly praising the music and the positive messages around friendship and female role models. However, others consider it inappropriate for younger viewers due to mild violence and some language, suggesting it is best suited for older kids or teens due to its content.
- funny moments
- positive role models
- mild violence
- suitable for older kids
- mixed reactions
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Whoopi Goldberg plays Deloris Van Cartier, a Reno lounge singer and dancer who is forced to leave her racy lifestyle behind when she witnesses her gangster boyfriend (Harvey Keitel) shoot someone. The police hide her away in an inner-city convent where she must reluctantly pretend, with the help of an equally reluctant Mother Superior played by Maggie Smith, to be a nun. Deloris' expertise as a doo-wop Supremes-style performer pays off when she is employed to rescue the severely off-key choir's reputation. Suddenly, the once sleep-inducing choir is as lively as a Broadway show.
Is It Any Good?
The musical numbers really make SISTER ACT. And Goldberg shines as the rebellious "nun" whose iconoclastic attitude affects not just the choir, but everyone in the convent who soon dons new habits -- both good and bad. Deloris' gregarious spirit and instant popularity eventually garner unneeded media attention: the Pope comes to visit, and soon after, TV crews. When this captures the attention of Deloris' ex-boyfriend, who is still trying to find her, the mob-crime focus of the story is back on, bringing PG-style justice to make a happy ending.
Sister Act's success -- due mostly to Goldberg, who was brilliantly cast after Bette Midler abandoned the project -- spawned a 1992 performance by Goldberg and the "nuns" at a Democratic fundraiser for Bill Clinton, and Sister Act: The Musical, a stage adaptation of the film, premiered at the Pasadena playhouse in 2006. A sequel, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, followed in 1993.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about "the mob" and Italian-American stereotypes and why they are so prevalent -- nearly revered -- on TV and in movies.
This movie is an example of a "fish out of water" movie, a common premise in which a character from an opposite walk of life must now adapt to a new life in unfamiliar surroundings. Why is this type of story so popular in both dramas and comedies? What are some other examples of "fish out of water" stories?
Has this movie held up for modern audiences, or does it seem dated? What are the qualities that might make a movie stand the test of time?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 29, 1992
- On DVD or streaming : November 6, 2001
- Cast : Kathy Najimy , Maggie Smith , Whoopi Goldberg
- Director : Emile Ardolino
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Middle Eastern/North African Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Buena Vista
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Arts ( Music and Sing-Along )
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some violence and mild language
- Award : NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Winner
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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