Bedtime Stories

PG for some mild rude humor and mild language.

reviewed by Christopher Lyon

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The Story

While watching his sister’s kids for a week, hotel handyman Skeeter Bronson (Adam Sandler) discovers that any parts of their mutual bedtime storytelling that the kids come up with comes true in real life (e.g., gum ball rain and angry little people). Skeeter begins manipulating the stories to try to get the kids to describe his character as getting his dream hotel job, getting rich, and getting the girl. But the kids keep steering the fantastical stories in crazy directions.

Meanwhile, Skeeter is falling for the kids’ other babysitter Jill (Keri Russell) and discovering that he cares about being a better man, not just beating out snooty Kendall Duncan (Guy Pearce) for the big promotion.

Content

Intended as a movie for kids, the PG-rated “Bedtime Stories” is the least crude Adam Sandler movie ever. Still, God’s name is used for swearing; some cleavage is prominently featured; a 6-year-old boy is encouraged to get a kiss from an 8-year-old girl he thinks is “hot;” and a little boogers-and-bathroom humor is celebrated.

Worldview Talking Points

“Bedtime Stories” isn’t a big message movie, but it does play with the idea that good stories encourage us to be good people. While telling stories together, Skeeter learns from his niece and nephew that they expect a good guy/gentleman character to do the right thing without expecting to get rewarded for it. Skeeter later practices that in his real life.

The Worldview section in our review for students on PlanetWisdom.com focused on how we can use our imaginations in ways that are powerfully positive or powerfully destructive.

If your student saw the movie, a few of these questions may provoke some good conversation and provide a teachable moment or two:

• Was “Bedtime Stories” what you expected it to be?
• What was your favorite storytelling/fantasy sequence in the movie?
• If you could tell a story about your life that would come true, what kinds of things would you describe?
• Did you notice how the kids described the way the gentleman or hero in a story should act?
• Do you think Skeeter made different choices in his real life after thinking through the choices his character in a story would make?
• Do you think imaging scenarios or stories is always a good thing?
• Part of being a Christian is allowing Jesus to transform our minds and the way we think about the world. (See Ephesians 4:23 and Romans 12:1-3.) Do you think He also transforms the way we imagine?
• Do you think we should be careful what we feed our imaginations? (See Philippians 4:8.)
• Jesus used imagination to tell stories that helped people. What are some ways that stories have helped you to make better choices or understand truth better?

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