Common Sense Media Review
By Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Female-led action-packed thriller has violence, language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Long Kiss Goodnight
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT, schoolteacher Samantha (Geena Davis) lives a quiet life with her husband, Hal (Tom Amandes), and daughter, Caitlin (Yvonne Zima), but suffers with amnesia and can't remember her past. When she starts to have flashbacks following an accident, she enlists the help of PI Mitch Henessey (Samuel L. Jackson) to find out the truth. The more she uncovers, the more the two find themselves in danger from those who remember her well as an assassin named Charly.
Is It Any Good?
Just a year after Davis teamed up with director, and then husband, Renny Harlin on the box office flop Cutthroat Island, the two returned with another overegged and overlong action thriller. It's mostly Davis' screen presence that saves The Long Kiss Goodnight from losing its way, as Shane Black's (Lethal Weapon) screenplay throws in one violent encounter after another. Thankfully he peppers them with some comedy moments, which are at their best in the odd couple relationship between Davis and an entertaining Jackson. The film pulls from Luc Besson's La Femme Nikita, centering Davis as a strong action lead who convinces throughout, even as she's stripped of her clothes nearly as often as her identity. A ticking-clock ending and a nice full-circle moment between Davis and her on-screen daughter tie up the flabby run time well enough to satisfy, but there's no doubt the actor deserved a better film for her performance.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the journey of Samantha/Charly in The Long Kiss Goodnight. How did she change during the film? What does the film say about finding and accepting your true self and integrating parts of your personality that don't always feel like they fit?
Discuss the film's violence. Did you think it was excessive, or what you expect from a movie like this? What's the impact of media and screen violence on children?
The movie stars a woman as the main action hero. How did her gender impact how she was presented? How does she compare to other female action leads? What similarities and differences do they have? Why is it important to see women in roles that were traditionally reserved for men?
Amnesia was a major plot point. Can you think of other films, particularly in the action and thriller genres, that have used amnesia to move their story forward? How do they compare? Do you think it's an effective device? Why?
There's lots of strong language used in the movie. What did it contribute to the story? Is a certain level of language expected in a film like this? If so, why?
Movie Details
- In theaters : October 11, 1996
- On DVD or streaming : April 30, 1997
- Cast : Geena Davis , Samuel L. Jackson , Brian Cox
- Director : Renny Harlin
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : New Line Cinema
- Genre : Thriller
- Run time : 121 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : substantial amount of strong bloody violence, and for strong language
- Last updated : November 29, 2024
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