Spielberg's family classic is still one of the best.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Products & Purchases
some
One of the most successful and memorable product placements in movie history: Reese's Pieces, which Elliott uses to lure E.T. out of hiding. Elliott also has Star Wars figures and memorabilia (which isn't surprising, considering that director George Lucas is Spielberg's close pal). Coca-Cola, Head and Shoulders shampoo, Coors beer, and Pez dispensers are also featured prominently.
Language
some
Brief but strong for young audiences: "s--t," "damn," "oh my God!," "son of a bitch," plus insults like "penis breath," "stupid," etc. Use of the slur "redskin" during a reading of Peter Pan.
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Most of the violence comes from the government agents who pursue and capture E.T. Several scenes of E.T. and other characters screaming in horror, usually because they've just encountered each other. In one particularly upsetting sequence, E.T. gets ghostly pale and looks like he's about to die or actually has died. In another scene, police and military officers holding guns try to stop E.T. and the kids from escaping. On the topic of romantic consent, Elliott surprises a classmate with a kiss.
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Elliott, while under the influence of his connection with E.T. (who's watching a couple kiss in an old movie), surprises a young girl in his class with a kiss.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
Strong messages of friendship, loyalty, and trust, as exemplified by Elliott and E.T.'s unique relationship. Themes include compassion, communication, and empathy.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Elliott is loyal and brave, and E.T. is loving and selfless. While Elliott may be keeping E.T.'s existence a secret, he does it to keep his new friend safe and does anything he can to help him. Elliott, his little sister, and eventually their eldest brother believe that E.T. is good and poses no danger to anyone. Elliott's mother is a loving single parent who does everything she can to look after her children. Characters demonstrate teamwork and perseverance.
Educational Value
very little
Kids can learn about the importance of friendship and trust.
Diverse Representations
very little
Mary is a single mother who does her best to raise her family. Other than that, there isn't much variety in terms of race, body size, sexuality, or characters with disabilities.
Parents need to know that Steven Spielberg's classic, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, is one of the greatest family films ever made. Its themes of loyalty, trust, and caring are affecting and easy to understand, and Elliott and E.T.'s extraordinary friendship is one of cinema's most enduring. Some scenes of peril and danger may be too intense for very young kids, and the moments leading to a key character's apparent death will be emotional for just about everyone. Brief strong language includes "s--t" and "son of a bitch," as well as an insult that includes "penis," and use of the slur "redskin" during a reading of Peter Pan. There's a bit of squabbling among siblings, and E.T. and Elliott both get and act tipsy in one comically memorable scene. A 2002 edition replaced a scene that used guns with walkie-talkies, though that sparked a fair bit of backlash, and the guns returned for the film's 30th anniversary in 2012. The film lacks diversity, but its portrayal of a single mother remains commendable. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
I hadn’t watched this since I was a kid. My 5 year old daughter saw the character and asked about him so we had a family movie night (with popcorn and Reese’s pieces). She got a little worried when ET gets sick but I assured her that the movie has a happy ending and he would be ok and she was fine. She audibly gasped and said “wow” when ET makes the bike fly. It was so fun experiencing it again through her eyes. Sure there’s some adult language and times have certainly changed, but all of that went over her head. Clearly some of these commenters weren’t raised by single moms in the 80s just doing their best to survive. Latch key kids were a thing and most of us turned out great and remarkably resilient.
Showed this to my 11 year old kid, absolutely terrified him. do not show this to kids who get frightened easily.
What's the Story?
In E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL, a young boy named Elliott (Henry Thomas) discovers an extraterrestrial being who was left behind when his spaceship departed without him. After Elliott brings E.T. home, it becomes clear that the benevolent otherworldly creature can't survive in Earth's environment and must return to his home planet. While hiding E.T., Elliott develops a close friendship with the alien and a connection that binds them to each other. With the help of Elliott, his siblings, and their pals, E.T. sends a rescue message to his planet, but they must face government scientists who want to capture and study E.T. instead of allowing him to return home.
This iconic film is a beautiful exploration of the unique friendship between Elliott and the little extraterrestrial. Although kids may no longer quote E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial or dress as E.T. for Halloween, the kind character remains one of the most recognizable creatures in movie history, and that's due to director Steven Spielberg's genius. Not only is the movie a fantastic sci-fi adventure with unforgettable images (the flying bicycle scene alone is worth watching), but it's also a touching family drama (a divorced mother trying to raise three kids without her ex's help; children who are wary of trusting adults).
The performances, especially from the kids -- Thomas, 6-year-old Drew Barrymore as Elliott's baby sister Gertie, and Robert Macnaughton as his older brother Michael -- are exceptional and genuine. Dee Wallace perfectly captures the frustration and chaos of single parenting, which in the early 1980s was an unconventional family structure to see in movies. John Williams' score soars, and the special effects are still dazzling, even if younger audiences are used to much slicker digital imagery.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way that the adults and the kids in E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial see things differently and have a hard time understanding one another's perspective. Why do Elliott and his siblings understand E.T. in a way the adults can't?
How does the movie portray parent-child relationships? Could Elliott have talked to his mother about E.T.? Is it OK to keep secrets from your parents when you're a child?
Compare E.T. to other movies featuring aliens. Why do you think aliens are usually portrayed as scary and dangerous rather than friendly?
MPAA explanation:
language and mild thematic elements
Last updated:
October 12, 2024
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Sandie Angulo Chen
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based on child development research. How do we rate?
