We're No Angels (1989)
By Tracy Moore,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Weak '80s fish-out-of water tale has violence, profanity.
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We're No Angels (1989)
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What's the Story?
Escaped convicts Ned (Robert De Niro) and Jim (Sean Penn) have broken out of jail, but now they have to get out of their small New York town and over the border to Canada if they want to stay escaped. The problem is, they've just been mistaken for two priests missing from the local church. Now they have to convince locals, believers, and skeptics that they really are two priests, even as the town is closed in by law enforcement hot on their trail.
Is It Any Good?
WE'RE NO ANGELS may be tough sell for adults, it's unlikely to attract teens. It has a couple of bankable, still-recognizable stars in De Niro, Penn, and Demi Moore and a talented supporting cast, but the crux of this movie -- two escaped convicts passing as priests -- only has so much mileage, and that mileage runs out quickly. So much of the gags are simply watching these roughnecks attempt to pass muster, receive confessions, and guide the bumbling souls of this small Depression-era town, and it just can't sustain the length. There's a little profanity, a brief flash of nudity, and a few deaths by gunshot, but none of that holds a candle to the lack of spark in the rest of the movie.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how We're No Angels portrays religion. What are the viewpoints expressed here about religion, and which sorts of people believe in God? How does this compare to other film portrayals of faith and religion you've seen?
Does this comedy hold up? What works about it? What doesn't?
What is the larger message the film seem to push about belief? Is there something in it for everyone? What are your beliefs?
Movie Details
- In theaters: March 31, 1989
- On DVD or streaming: February 17, 2004
- Cast: Robert De Niro, Sean Penn, Demi Moore, Bruno Kirby
- Director: Neil Jordan
- Studio: Warner Bros.
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Adventures
- Run time: 107 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- Last updated: March 29, 2023
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