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Parents' Guide to

Twins

By Andrea Beach, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Silly '80s mismatched-sibling story has profanity, violence.

Movie PG 1988 107 minutes
Twins Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Spencer H.
Spencer H. Adult
November 7, 2019
age 13+

Funny, with lots of heart but not for younger children

This is a very fun, funny movie with Schwarzenegger and De Vito in some of their best comedic roles and while this movie has some positive messages about family and a good role model character in Schwarzenegger for the most part this is the typical 80's flick that you may remember being harmless but in actuality is much edgier than you remember. Lots of swearing several uses of g-----n, s--t, SOB D------d, and more. Additionally this film is quite violent for a PG rating. Lots of fist-fighting, two men are shot in the legs, people are thrown up against walls, and there are two killings one has a fair amount of blood, while another man is killed by having a crane drop on him and killing him instantly although no blood is seen from that killing. Additionally this film communicates the message that premarital sex is ok, De Vito's character is seen at the beginning making out with a woman, Arnold and Kelly Preston are seen in bed together and she is seen smoking a cigarette while Arnold looks aroused, naturally implying they had sex. De Vito tells his girlfriend get a room with a king sized bed implying sex. You can see part of Preston's buttocks in one scene, and in another scene Arnold is seen looking at a Playboy magazine in a grocery store and for about ten seconds you do see a woman's breast from a photo in the magazine. I had a lot of laughs and fun rewatching it, but CSM is spot on with their rating. This film would definitely be PG-13 if released today, and this is definitely not appropriate for under 13 unless you have a filtered or edited for TV version.

This title has:

Great messages
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
2 people found this helpful.
1654monroe
1654monroe Parent of 10-year-old
April 9, 2021
age 11+

Great movie, but not for younger kids

This movie is really good! It does have some content not appropriate for younger kids though. There is an image of a topless women that you see for a second in a copy of Playboy, and there is some kissing and sex. Otherwise, it think kids 11 and up will really enjoy this movie!

This title has:

Great messages
Too much sex
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Genetically engineered to be a perfect physical, intellectual, and spiritual human, Julius (Arnold Schwarzenegger) grew up on an isolated tropical island with only his mentor for companionship. Everything he knows about the rest of the world comes from books. Now 35, he learns that he has a fraternal twin and decides to leave the island, find his long-lost brother, and finally learn what it is to have a family. When he does meet Vincent (Danny DeVito), Julius is undaunted by their differences and by Vincent's shady past. As the two get to know each other, they learn more surprises about their parents and decide to hit the road to find out who's been lying about their past all these years -- and why.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (4 ):

The premise of TWINS, uniting long-lost brothers who are complete opposites, can appeal to any age, and when it was released in theaters it was a big hit. But with an all-adult cast in adult situations, its appeal to today's kids and teens is limited. Fans of the Terminator will enjoy seeing Schwarzenegger play the innocent, which he does creditably. DeVito is as lovably irascible as ever. The story's a bit predictable, but director Reitman brings a slight skew to the proceedings that give this mismatched-buddy story fresh appeal.

There are a few mild laughs here and there, but if feels like Reitman was unsure whether to play the violence for laughs or not, with the result being that most of the physical jokes don't land. Twins is a mildly entertaining choice for older kids who can handle some strong language and small amounts of blood, but if you're looking for belly laughs, keep looking.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about favorite buddy movies. What are some other movies you've seen where people who are opposites learn to get along and even love each other? How does this movie compare?

  • Sometimes Julius and Vincent seem to have a psychic connection. Do you think that's a real thing, especially with twins? Have you ever felt that kind of connection with someone?

  • What is the bond between siblings? What makes it so special? If you have siblings, how would you describe your bond?

Movie Details

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