Parents' Guide to

Villains

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Violent home-invasion dark comedy is smart, fast-paced.

Movie R 2019 88 minutes
Villains Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • Villains Movie: Mickey and Jules prepare to enter the house
  • Villains Movie: Mickey and Jules tied up in the basement
  • Villains Movie: Mickey and Jules forced to sit at the dinner table with Gloria and George

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age 14+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Honest Annie
Honest Annie Adult
January 24, 2020
age 13+

For 13 and Over, but....

definitely not worth subjecting your children to the gratuitous violence in this tedious, overwrought, unnecessarily drawn out film. The pacing is dreadful, the dialogue uninspired and the odious plot neither clever nor fresh. As a matter of fact, there is NOTHING -- I mean NOTHING -- here that hasn't already been done to death AND more effectively. (Clearly Kyra Sedgewick appears as a favor to someone important.)
davispittman
davispittman Adult
October 3, 2019
age 15+

Well acted satirical thriller

The cast makes Villains worth watching, Kyra Sedgwick in particular. This cast perfectly executes their roles and it lifts up the entire film. It’s short and it’s not groundbreaking by any means but it’s a satisfying watch.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In VILLAINS, lovers Mickey (Bill Skarsgård) and Jules (Maika Monroe) are bumbling criminals. They hold up a convenience store and then, while escaping, run out of gas. They spy a nearby house and head there to try to find another car -- or at least some gas. But while searching for car keys, they begin to realize that things in the house seem a little off, especially when they discover a non-speaking young girl chained to a pole in the dark basement. Jules insists that they rescue her, but while they're trying to break the bonds, the house's owners -- George (Jeffrey Donovan) and Gloria (Kyra Sedgwick) -- come home. At first it seems as if Mickey and Jules might escape, but it turns out that the older couple is far more dangerous than they thought.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (3):

Yes, there have been cleverer movies, but this creepy comedy more than gets by on its breezy pace and weirdly lovable characters, as well as smart, measured performances that keep them in check. Written and directed by the team of Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, Villains is refreshingly simple in its design, with only a handful of speaking parts and a house that inspires chills with its oddly old-fashioned design. (Everything in it seems out-of-date, from an old picture-tube TV to a box of stale cereal.) And most of the story takes place during the daylight, which adds another odd layer.

Skarsgård and Monroe -- horror icons from It, It Chapter Two, and It Follows -- make an appealing couple, and their interactions and shorthand are frequently touching, even when they're in a tight spot. (To calm Mickey, Jules plays "car wash" by dangling her long hair over his face, creating a little tunnel of blonde.) Donovan and Sedgwick are equally effective, with their own strange chemistry. Best of all, the four characters are generally smart and think on their feet; no one seems supernaturally ahead of the curve, and the playing field is even. The characters may be Villains, but they'll more than likely take your blues away.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Villains' violence. Does the fact that the film is a comedy affect the impact of the violence?

  • Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of scary movies?

  • How are drugs depicted? Are there consequences for drug use? Why does that matter?

  • Are the two main characters likable even though they're criminals? How? Is crime glamorized in Villains?

  • Who are the actual "villains" of the title?

Movie Details

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