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Parents' Guide to

The Out-of-Towners

By Brian Costello, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Sex talk and slapstick violence in screwball comedy remake.

Movie PG-13 1999 91 minutes
The Out-of-Towners 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?

Henry (Steve Martin) and Nancy Clark (Goldie Hawn) are at a crossroads. Their son has just left their Ohio home, and they are now officially "empty nesters." Henry has just lost his job in advertising and hasn't informed Nancy. Together, they fly to New York City, where Henry has a promising job interview. But then their flight is rerouted to Boston, and that's just the beginning of their troubles. The navigation system of their rental car sends them crashing into fish. They're mugged by a man who claims to be Andrew Lloyd Weber. And their one remaining credit card has been maxed out by their daughter, so they can't check into their hotel managed by an obsequious yet merciless Englishman (John Cleese). And it doesn't get much better. Through one comedic misadventure after the next, Henry and Nancy must rely on their wits and determination to survive everything New York City is throwing at them and figure out a way to get Henry to the job interview in one piece.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1 ):

Considering the vast talent involved in this movie, it's surprising that this remake of THE OUT-OF-TOWNERS isn't better than it is. It's entertaining, but it doesn't quite add up to a satisfying whole. For starters, there's a surprising lack of chemistry between Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn, and this is magnified by the urbane (if a bit dated) wit of Neil Simon's dialogue not feeling authentic coming out of their mouths. Even with John Cleese playing a somewhat tweaked version of Basil Fawlty, there still aren't as many laughs as there should be.

This formulaic film follows a familiar-enough screwball comedy-of-errors pattern that has been done better in many other movies. It isn't a bad movie so much as it's disappointing, especially for those who are fans of Simon, Martin, and Hawn.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about remakes. What would be the challenges of remaking a movie that was originally written in 1970 and setting it in contemporary times?

  • What are some of the different styles of humor employed in this movie?

  • Why do you think the "mid-life crisis" is a recurring theme in so many movies?

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