Parents' Guide to

The Bachelor

By Kate Pluta, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Unbelievable plot and stale stereotypes.

Movie PG-13 2001 101 minutes
The Bachelor Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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What's the Story?

In THE BACHELOR, grandson Jimmie (Chris O'Donnell) learns that he's inherited millions from his grandfather. But he won't get the money unless he is married before he turns 30 years old, which is just a day away. His girlfriend (Renee Zellweger) doesn't want to rush things, and every other girl he asks turns him down. So, Jimmie's pal places an ad in the newspaper, and the response is overwhelming.

Is It Any Good?

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

Thanks to the comedic talents of the actors, The Bachelor is humorous and entertaining, at first. Unfortunately, the jokes become cliché, and the plot becomes a bit unbelievable. It's admirable that Jimmie decides not to tell his true love about the inheritance when he proposes to her. He even lets her leave the country, accepting the fact that he'll forgo the money if she won't marry him. But when he learns that marriage is necessary to save the family company, it seems that he'd then focus his efforts on traveling to Greece to pursue his true love. Would he really consider marrying and having kids with someone he doesn't love when he could possibly marry the woman of his dreams?

Viewers willing to overlook the movie's far-fetched circumstances may still enjoy the acting of performers such as Chris O'Donnell, Renee Zellweger, Peter Ustinov, Edward Asner, Hal Holbrook, James Cromwell, Artie Lange, and Brooke Shields, who manage to entertain despite a weak script. The movie has its share of hilarious moments, and true romance eventually outweighs bachelor cynicism.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the lack of realism in comedies like this one. Why do you think many comedies are based on things that would never really happen?

Movie Details

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