Parents' Guide to

Valentine's Day

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Mushy ensemble romcom sticks to formula; some sexy stuff.

Movie PG-13 2010 90 minutes
Valentine's Day Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 13+

Based on 26 parent reviews

Mummy Roo
Mummy Roo Adult
January 10, 2019
age 15+

Shallow. Desperate. Annoying.

I thought maybe i was just in a bad mood but my negative take on this pig slop was spot on by the looks of other reviewers. It's thw type of movie that takes you nowhere, says nothing and gives less. Possibly the most shallow film I have watched. No characters are likeable. By the end you kind of hope they all collectibly fall through a crack in the San Andreas fault.
Kathy T.
Kathy T. Adult
June 4, 2017
age 10+

Ages 10 and up

I think common sense media should have parents say 10+
See all 26 parent reviews

What's the Story?

It's Valentine's Day in Los Angeles, and depending on your circumstances, it's either a day of delight or dread. Florist Reed (Ashton Kutcher) starts the day by proposing to his girlfriend (Jessica Alba), and everyone is amazed that she says yes. His best friend, Julia (Jennifer Garner), a teacher, wants to surprise her doctor boyfriend (Patrick Dempsey), who says he has to work. Meanwhile, a soldier (Julia Roberts) on a short break from Iraq is flying home to see her special someone; her seatmate (Bradley Cooper) tries to puzzle her out. And a phone-sex purveyor (Anne Hathaway) is falling in love with a colleague at her day job (Topher Grace), who knows nothing about her other gig, while a professional athlete (Eric Dane) wonders what's next now that his contract is up. For them -- and for many others -- it's make-or-break time.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (26):
Kids say (77):

If anyone can make a great romantic comedy, director Garry Marshall -- whose credits include Pretty Woman and The Princess Diaries -- is it. In many ways, VALENTINE'S DAY has many of the signature Marshall touches: the sweetly satisfying moments between new lovers (certainly evident in the Hathaway-Grace pairing), the fluid storytelling, the sense of humor. But a few perfect moments do not a perfect movie make. It may end up being a crowd pleaser, but it's hyper-engineered to the hilt and ends up feeling packaged and crowded with marquee names and made-for-the-tabloids matchups. (Taylors Swift and Lautner, that's you.)

What ultimately makes love such a compelling topic is its mysterious, ineffable quality, and there's none of that jazz-improv magic here. Kutcher and Garner's storyline, though traditional in its unraveling, feels most satisfying. (Marshall makes the most of Kutcher's man-boy charms, and the actor steps up his game.) Hector Elizondo and Shirley MacLaine's comes second, but their plot doesn't really have room to unspool. Some picking and pruning would've made for a more stunning bouquet; it's all baby's breath and red roses -- the expected stuff -- as it stands.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what Valentine's Day means, if anything. Is it really manufactured, and does it make people who aren't with someone on that day feel bad? Can it be a chance to focus on a relationship for a day, or does it just breed consumerism?

  • Does the film approach the topic of love any differently from other romantic comedies? Are all the pairings and their subsequent conclusions believable?

  • How does the film portray dating and romance? Ask your teens if this is what they think adult relationships are really like.

Movie Details

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