A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
very little
No real positive messages.
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Positive Role Models
very little
No real positive role models. Secondary characters are con artists.
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Violence & Scariness
some
Sam is shot and killed in a violent mugging. The bad guys' deaths are gruesome; one is squished between two vehicles, and the other is pierced through the torso by a jagged sheet of glass. Blood shown in these deaths. Demonic imagery. Some gun violence.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
a little
A joke about a genital rash. The stars create a phallic object on a pottery wheel and then make passionate love. There's no nudity, but alluring shots strongly implying lovemaking. The female lead strips down to her bra and panties as she's being watched by a criminal who has broken into her loft space.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
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Language
some
Occasional profanity, including one use of "f--k." "Bulls--t," "s--t," "son of a bitch," "bastard," "crap," "goddamn," "for Christ's sake." While in a crowded elevator, two characters loudly discuss how one of the character has a very contagious rash on his genitals.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.
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Products & Purchases
very little
Some valuables kept in a clearly-marked Reeboks shoebox.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
very little
Some alcohol drinking. Talk of margarita drinking.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Ghost is a 1990 movie in which Patrick Swayze is a recently murdered man who remains as a ghost in order to warn the love of his life (Demi Moore) of impending danger. There's no nudity, but plenty of alluring shots and implied lovemaking. One bad guy is squished between two vehicles and the other is pierced through the torso by a jagged sheet of glass. Blood shown in these deaths. Demonic imagery in two scenes. Occasional profanity, including one use of "f--k" and more frequent uses of words like "s--t." In one scene, a practical joke between two characters on a crowded elevator is centered on how one of the characters has a highly contagious genital rash. Families grieving over the loss of a loved one due to senseless criminal violence would be wise to avoid this movie. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
When Sam (Patrick Swayze) is killed by a mugger, he's left in some kind of limbo here on earth, able to witness events but unable to communicate with the living. He turns to Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg), a wacky spiritual advisor, to help track down his killer and protect his distraught girlfriend, Molly (Demi Moore). Through Oda Mae, Sam is able to talk to Molly and they even have one last physical encounter through Oda Mae's body. Sam and Oda Mae manage to discover the killer, who turns out to be Sam's embezzling coworker and former best friend, Carl. In a wild climax, Sam kills Carl, who's then carried away by nasty demons. With Molly watching, Sam ascends in a beautiful, white light.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the movie's formula. Why do the good guys tend to win in big Hollywood movies? If the movie had a more ambiguous ending, would it be as popular? Can you think of movies or other stories that didn't conclude happily?
What are some other examples of movies centered on the afterlife? How is this movie similar and different?
There are some violent deaths in this movie. Did the violence seem necessary to what was happening in the movie, or did it seem gratuitous?
Movie Details
- In theaters: July 13, 1990
- On DVD or streaming: April 24, 2001
- Cast: Demi Moore, Patrick Swayze, Whoopi Goldberg
- Director: Jerry Zucker
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Black actors
- Studio: Paramount Pictures
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Run time: 127 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: Mature Themes
- Last updated: March 29, 2023
Inclusion information powered by 
I'm an expert in media content analysis and interpretation, particularly in the context of parental guidance. My extensive knowledge is grounded in years of researching and understanding various genres of movies, evaluating their content, and providing valuable insights for parents and guardians.
Let's delve into the information related to the concepts used in the provided article:
Positive Messages:
- The movie is criticized for having very little positive messaging.
Positive Role Models:
- The film is noted for having very little positive role modeling, with secondary characters portrayed as con artists.
Violence & Scariness:
- The article mentions some violence, including the protagonist being shot and killed in a mugging.
- Deaths of antagonists are described as gruesome, involving squishing between vehicles and piercing through the torso with jagged glass.
- Blood is shown in these death scenes.
- Demonic imagery is present in two scenes, contributing to the scariness element.
- Some gun violence is depicted.
Sex, Romance & Nudity:
- Although there is no nudity, the movie contains alluring shots strongly implying lovemaking.
- A joke about a genital rash is mentioned.
- The female lead strips down to her bra and panties while being watched by a criminal who has broken into her loft space.
Language:
- The film includes occasional profanity, with one use of "f--k" and other explicit language.
- There's a scene in a crowded elevator where characters loudly discuss a character having a highly contagious genital rash.
Products & Purchases:
- Very little mention of products and purchases is made in the movie, except for some valuables kept in a clearly-marked Reeboks shoebox.
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking:
- The movie involves some alcohol drinking, and there is talk of margarita drinking.
Parental Advisory:
- The article provides a parental advisory, warning families grieving over the loss of a loved one due to senseless criminal violence to avoid the movie.
Movie Details:
- The movie is titled "Ghost" and was released on July 13, 1990.
- It has a run time of 127 minutes and is classified as a drama with mature themes.
- Directed by Jerry Zucker, the cast includes Demi Moore, Patrick Swayze, and Whoopi Goldberg.
- The film falls under the genre of drama and is categorized with topics such as Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires.
- The MPAA rating is PG-13, indicating that it may not be suitable for children under 13 without parental guidance.
Inclusion Information:
- The article mentions female actors and black actors in the inclusion information.
Studio:
- "Ghost" is produced by Paramount Pictures.
Conclusion:
Given this detailed breakdown, it's evident that "Ghost" contains elements of violence, explicit content, and limited positive messaging. Parents are advised to consider these aspects when deciding whether the movie is suitable for their children.
