1 part hardcore Arnold action, 1 part creepy-ass Oedipal villain, 1 part child abduction plot, 1 part domestic abuse subplot, 1 part rom-com between Arnold and the teacher, 1 part the weirdness that is Phoebe O'Hara, and 1 part hilarious Arnold-plays-with-kids jokes.
Really... what the hell?
I was about 4 when this movie first came out and I remember seeing it at the Drive In. I think it was just...a different time in terms of exposure?
For example, I remember the drive in used to do 2 for 1s, where they would show a family movie first and then a "movie for the parents" second. The thinking was that by the second film, the kids would fall asleep. So I distinctly remember seeing Indecent Proposal at the drive in from the backseat of my parents car while I was "sleeping" when I was about 7!
*Exposure in the sense of what people felt comfortable with kids seeing. I think there was a lot of prevailing "they don't understand the parts we're throwing in for the adults anyways" and that still occurs in a lot of "family films"; jokes you get when you re-watch those movies as an adult and think I can't believe my parents let me watch this!
shareAnd this logic in making movies seems to be correct: if a kid understands the part then he/she is mature enough and ready to watch it, if he/she doesn't harm has been done anyway...
shareWell I liked it alot as a kid... And I rewatched it today as an adult and... I still like it alot... so everyone?
I'm gonna refuse you an offer you can't make
I was 17 when this hit theaters right smack dab halfway through my senior year of high school. I was a huge Arnold fan and went to this not really expecting to like it since I knew it was more a comedy. I ended up liking it but really wouldn't sing it's praises until I got older. I really started to love it when I had my own kids and they were past Kindergarten age when it would make me miss my kids at that age. The older they get the bigger monsters they become. My kids are now in high school and my oldest is the age now that I was when this movie came out so that's just crazy. Now when I watch this it gives me total nostalgia for the late 80's early 90's, it makes me miss that time period. I had the time of my life during those years and watching this brings it all back now.
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Me. It's a long way off my top 50 but it's quite watchable.
share90s audience
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http://www.imdb.com/list/4zXrE3AAzT4/
Kids, adults and old people. This is a proper family film anybody can enjoy. As good as it was before, it's now getting this glossy veneer of nostalgia that makes it all the sweeter.
shareMen, women, kids, elders, gay, straight, this is one of those rare movies that can be enjoyed by just about anyone. It really does hit all the buttons that cynical Hollywood keeps trying to hit and usually misses - genuine laughs, tense action, touching romance, home, family, patriotism, character development, good food...
It's one of those movies that's a lot better than it should be.
Good for a date night I reckon. Action for the guy, romance and drama for the lady.
I remember being around 8, watching this all the time. It was a little scary and mean but oh well.