Parents' Guide to

Survive the Night

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Bruce Willis co-stars in absurd, bloody hostage thriller.

Movie R 2020 89 minutes
Survive the Night 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 6 parent reviews

marilynnjw
marilynnjw Adult
January 30, 2022
age 16+

Survive the viewing

This is an extremely violent movie with repetitive scenes that are quite predictable. The lines are weak, the acting is weak, with the exception of the grandmother and granddaughter. The rest of the cast is unconvincing, including Bruce Willis, Chad Michael Murray, and his wife, Lydia Hull. If you have insomnia, watch this. It will definitely put you to sleep.
nielsen rated
nielsen rated Adult
August 24, 2020
age 15+

Wont get that time back

Honestly, the plot or lack there of is enough to make this unwatchable. I thought Bruce Willis being in the movie would make it something to watch, but, don't waste your time. Predictable scenario, I could of acted better.

This title has:

Too much swearing
See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In SURVIVE THE NIGHT, two robber brothers -- the in-charge Mathias (Tyler Jon Olson) and the loose-cannon Jamie (Shea Buckner) -- successfully pull off a job and plan to flee to Mexico with their takings. But then Jamie shoots up a convenience store, and Mathias gets hit in the leg. To save his life, the brothers break into the home of Rich (Chad Michael Murray), a disgraced doctor who lost his license after a malpractice suit. The brothers accidentally shoot and kill Rich's mother and then take Rich's family -- wife Jan (Lydia Hull), daughter Rachel (Jessica Abrams), and father Frank (Bruce Willis) -- hostage. But Frank, a hard, retired sheriff, isn't about to take any of this sitting down. Before long, the entire family is fighting for their lives.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6):
Kids say (2):

This movie looks and sounds like a real thriller, but the premise and the characters' behaviors and interactions are so stunningly absurd that it's nearly impossible to turn your brain off and enjoy. Survive the Night sets up its six main characters through two irritatingly misplaced conversations. First, Mathias and Jamie escape from their robbery and then, even though they're in a hurry, pull into a parking lot to stop and discuss their plans to move to Mexico. Meanwhile, Rich's family has an argument about his decision to not fight the malpractice suit (about a man who died under his care). It's as if this is the first time they have talked about it, which is really hard to believe.

Plus, Rich's dialogue describing what went wrong is laughable: "I cut when I should have stitched or stitched when I should have cut ... I don't even know!" And then later, when the cat-and-mouse section starts, Survive the Night has a hard time keeping track of everyone. Characters are stuck in one place for long periods of time or else spend long periods of time stumbling around, bleeding all over the place, looking for each other, and shooting at (and missing) each other. There's even a completely pointless car chase. Perhaps most awkwardly, the movie tries to make the criminal brothers somewhat sympathetic but still treats them with contempt. This movie is so bad it will leave you gobsmacked.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Survive the Night's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it intended to be brutal, thrilling, or both? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

  • How does the movie characterize a strong character vs. a weak one? What are other ways to show strength other than violence?

  • Are the criminals in this movie relatable? Why do you think stories about criminals are often so fascinating?

  • What are the family relationships like in this movie? What do they argue about, and what do they talk about? How are they similar to or different from your own relationships?

Movie Details

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