About.com Rating


MPAA Rating: PG, for some mild rude humor and mild language
Genre: Family/Comedy/Adventure
Age range: Ages 5 and up
Runtime: Approx. 90 minutes
Starring: Adam Sandler, Keri Russell, Guy Pearce, Russell Brand, Richard Griffiths, Jonathan Pryce, Courteney Cox, Lucy Lawless, Teresa Palmer, Aisha Tyler
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures Release Date: December 25, 2008

Bedtime Stories - Summary

Skeeter Bronson has been working as a handyman in a hotel on the land where his own father's hotel used to stand.

Holding on to a promise the hotel owner had made to his father -- that Skeeter would someday run the hotel -- Skeeter seems to be low on ambition and a little gullible. His sister Wendy, however, decides to trust him enough to leave him in charge of her two children -- Bobbi and Patrick -- while she goes job-hunting in Arizona.

He's got zero experience taking care of children, but knowing that Wendy needs him, and that the kids have been struggling since their father left, Skeeter accepts the responsibility. Wendy promises that her friend Jill will take the kids during the day, so Skeeter just has the night shift.

Dissatisfied with the children's choice of books, Skeeter starts to tell the kids his own made-up bedtime stories. For some unknown and mystical reason, Skeeter finds that the details added to the story by the kids begin to come true on the following day. Soon, thanks to the stories, Skeeter's boss gives him an opportunity to prove himself, and he begins to have more luck with the ladies.

Seeing a marvelous opportunity for gain, Skeeter tries to manipulate the kids' stories to make himself out to be a winner, but he soon realizes that kids have a mind of their own. Even with all of the storytime chaos, though, there may be a chance for a happy ending. Skeeter just needs to prove himself the true hero of his own life story.

Bedtime Stories - Guide Review for Parents

Bedtime Stories offers families a decent option with a storyline that's fairly interesting for all and contains some added whimsy for kids. While it is somewhat annoying that we never find out why the magical storytelling suddenly occurs, the detail that it is only the kids' additions to the story that come true makes the movie funny and exciting.

When you throw Adam Sandler in the mix, you know exactly what you're going to get. Adam has toned down his generally crude comedy in this movie for kids, and there are some seriously funny parts for parents and kids alike, but there are also a few points that parents may want to be aware of before taking kids to the movie.

Many of the humorous scenes in the movie involve "hot" girls. Skeeter refers to girls as "hot," as does little Patrick, who thinks one of the girls from his school is "hot." Also, Skeeter makes reference to wanting a kiss from a girl, and both Skeeter and Patrick get a kiss (Patrick's is on the cheek). Other humor involves things like gross food concoctions, some mild slapstick violence, and a booger monster.

The topic of the kids' dad having left them comes up a few times in the movie in very prominent scenes. This theme may be emotional or disturbing for some children.

*For detailed examples of possibly offensive material, please see the Content Overview below.

Bedtime Stories - Content Overview

The following lists a few of the most prominent examples of possibly offensive content in the movie (may contain spoilers):
Violence(Medium)
- Skeeter pretends to shoot a gun in the air to scare off some paparazzi (the gun is really just a drill).
- Various fake story sequences show Skeeter and other characters in perilous situations in the Old West, outer space, and other places. The scenes are obviously fantasy, and there is no blood or gore.
- Two kids are in a building that is about to blow up, but they are saved just in time.

Sex/Nudity(Medium)
- The movie contains frequent references to kissing and a kiss is shown. Girls are often described as being "hot."
- Several female characters wear outfits that show cleavage. Some costumes, such as that of a hula girl and a mermaid, are very revealing.

Language(Low)
- The phrase "Oh my God" and derivatives of the phrase are used several times.
- The word "butt" is used several times, and in one story, Skeeter names a character "Sir Buttkiss."

Alcohol/Drugs(Low)
- In several scenes, people in a hotel or at parties are shown drinking wine and other alcoholic beverages.
- An old lady is mad because the front desk accuses her of drinking the alcohol from her room wet bar.

Bad/Disrespectful Behavior(High)
- Skeeter disobeys his sister's instructions and gives the kids junk food and lets them watch TV. He also squirts toothpaste all over some food and takes a bite.
- After getting catchup splattered on his face, Skeeter's friend dips fries in it and eats it.
- In a store, Skeeter sprays himself with a spray designed to protect Christmas trees from starting on fire. When the clerk notifies him that the spray is for trees only, Skeeter accidentally sprays him too, and he begins screaming because the spray gets in his eyes.

Scary Scenes(Low)
- The scenes listed under violence may be a little scary for young children.
- Some paparazzi bother a girl and she has trouble getting away from them.

Sad/Unsettling Scenes(Medium)
- Bobbi and Patrick's father has left them. This sad fact is mentioned throughout the movie, and in one scene they ask Skeeter if their father will ever come back.
- Skeeter's father must sell his hotel, which is his pride and joy, because the business is failing.
- Bobbi and Patrick's school is set to be torn down, and their mother and others will lose their jobs.

Bedtime Stories - Discuss the Movie

• After watching Bedtime Stories, children may have questions about the following topics: abandonment by a parent, single parenthood, schools being torn down, paparazzi, stories coming true in real life, .