The 1980s produced some of the most celebrated movies of all time, including classic family flicks like Back to the Future, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Field of Dreams, and The Little Mermaid. However, there are also many entertaining and well-made movies from that time period that have proven to be problematic since their release, many of which would never be made today. Some of these can still be appreciated by viewers who have an understanding of the project’s outdated perspectives or inherent biases. There are other films, though, that would be better off being forgotten altogether. Here are five family movies from the 1980s with the most problematic premises.
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5 Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Who Framed Roger Rabbit was a 1988 film from director Robert Zemeckis that was loosely adapted from the 1981 Gary K. Wolf novel Who Censored Roger Rabbit? The film mixed animation with live-action, with stars such as Bob Hoskins, Alan Tilvern, and Stubby Kaye starring alongside various cartoon characters. Disney attempted to merge the childlike appeal of the “toons” with a story entertaining enough for adults, but somehow missed the mark for both. The plot follows an alcoholic and depressed detective named Eddie Valiant (Hoskins) who is hired by the head of a movie studio to investigate whether Roger Rabbit’s toon wife Jessica is having an affair with a (human) studio head, Marvin Acme (Kaye), who is later murdered. He then takes off on a quest to prove Roger Rabbit’s innocence.
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The movie includes adult themes such as violence, sex, and drugs — which would be fine if it wasn’t chock-full of popular children’s cartoon characters and packaged as a family film. Disney did decide to release the project under Touchstone Pictures rather than the children-centered Walt Disney Pictures, though that didn’t dissuade its perception as a kids’ movie since it was ultimately rated PG. Who Framed Roger Rabbit was considered a mastery of filmmaking, and won a plethora of awards including four Oscars for Best Film Editing, Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Visual Effects and the Special Achievement Award. The project is undoubtedly an excellent example of craftsmanship and succeeds at telling a humorous and entertaining tale. It fails only in its fundamental appeal to younger audiences.
4 Mr. Mom (1983)
20th Century Fox
The comedy Mr. Mom, written by the beloved ’80s director John Hughes, seems lighthearted at first glance. It stars actor Michael Keaton, in his first lead role, as Jack Butler, who loses his engineering job during a recession and is forced to become a stay-at-home dad when his wife Caroline (Teri Garr) decides to go back to work. The film’s comedic streak comes from Jack struggling to juggle the everyday tasks necessary to care for his three children and their home, which amuses the other neighborhood “housewives.” Jack begins to feel suffocated by suburban life and is threatened by his wife’s increasing success. Eventually, Jack returns to the workforce, and Caroline adjusts her schedule, so she can stay at home with her kids two days a week, reinforcing the idea of traditional gender roles.
Many critics, including the esteemed Roger Ebert, felt that Mr. Mom was an easy watch but relied too heavily on clichés and didn’t rise to the level the talented leads deserved. While the film appears harmless, it actually perpetuates gender-based stereotypes regarding parenting and society in general. Not only is the idea that a wife should stay home to take care of the home and children while the husband goes to work outdated and sexist; it’s also not representative of the plethora of other family dynamics that exist outside a “traditional” nuclear family. The idea that a man should be treated like a champion for learning how to take care of his children, instead of just being called a dad, is actually not that funny when you think about it.
3 Adventures in Babysitting (1987)
Chris Columbus would eventually become known for directing several iconic kids movies, including two Home Alone films, two Harry Potter films, and Mrs. Doubtfire, among others. He’s also responsible for writing the screenplay for the beloved movie The Goonies. However, Columbus made his directorial debut with the 1987 teen comedy Adventures in Babysitting.
The movie follows a teenage girl named Chris (Elisabeth Shue) who takes a job babysitting an 8-year-old girl named Sarah (Maia Brewton) one night in suburban Illinois. Chris ends up taking Sarah with her when she finds out her friend Brenda (Penelope Ann Miller) is stranded in downtown Chicago, and Sarah’s 15-year-old brother Brad (Keith Coogan) and his friend Daryl (Anthony Rapp) tag along for the ride. The group then finds themselves in a series of dangerous situations as the night progresses, including breaking down and hitchhiking with a truck driver, witnessing a shooting, running from gang members, and being victims of a carjacking. Though, those events are somewhat offset by the thrill of sneaking into a frat party and singing on stage at a blues club.
Though the narrative is exciting to watch and keeps viewers laughing and entertained, Adventures in Babysitting perpetuates the idea that the inner city is a dangerous place full of criminals that white suburban kids should stay away from. There are several characters of color in the film and each is portrayed as being dangerous, or at least scary, at first appearance. Though some turn out to be allies rather than foes to the group of youngsters, it’s still a problematic stereotype to be reinforcing for young audiences. Additionally, there are several scenes in the film that didn’t age well, including many times when Daryl refers to other characters as “homo” in a derogatory manner, a confusing encounter between him and a teenage sex worker, and looking down Brenda’s shirt while she’s sleeping, which gets laughed off.
2 Overboard (1987)
MGM
The man behind the original 1987 version of Overboard was Garry Marshall, who would go on to direct the Julia Roberts and Richard Gere classics Pretty Woman and Runaway Bride, The Princess Diaries franchise, and holiday films Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Eve, and Mother’s Day. Though Marshall clearly has an eye for what will make a profitable romantic tale, not all of his movies stand the test of time.
Overboard is the story of a rich heiress, played by Goldie Hawn, who falls off her yacht and washes ashore with amnesia. Kurt Russell plays a blue collar local whom she had previously mistreated, and goes on to convince her that she’s actually his wife. He then forces her to take on the role of caring for his disgusting home and four rambunctious sons. Hijinks inevitably ensue and, of course, love blooms. Overboard was popular among fans of screwball comedies and the two leads, and was so successful that it spawned remakes in India, South Korea, Switzerland, and Russia. An American remake was released in 2018 starring Anna Faris and Eugenio Derbez, though their roles were reversed.
However delightful the result may be, the premise of the story is still problematic. The film ultimately centers around kidnapping, identity theft, extortion, and psychological manipulation, which is packaged to appear sweet and romantic. It also reinforces both gender and financial stereotypes. Overboard does a great job of putting the rich socialite “back where she belongs” — giving up her life of wealth and ease to be a mother. In turn, the man endures no consequences for his actions and is actually rewarded by getting to share the woman’s wealth in the end. Though the remake turns those stereotypes on their head by gender-swapping the leads, it still crosses many of the same boundaries as the original.
1 The Toy (1982)
Columbia Pictures
Richard Donner is a talented director responsible for such films as the 1978 Superman, The Goodies, Scrooged, and the Lethal Weapon series. However, despite his success in the industry, Donner made one serious misstep in 1982 with the movie The Toy. The project starred Richard Pryor as a black man named Jack Brown whose desperation for a job leads him to take a position as a custodian for a wealthy businessman, Ulysses “U.S.” Bates (Jackie Gleason). When his lackluster job performance has Jack headed toward unemployment, his boss’ spoiled son Eric Bates (Scott Schwartz) decides he wants the man for himself. Jack is hired to be a “friend” to the boy, but is often referred to as a “toy,” which only becomes more degrading when Eric calls himself “Master.”
The premise of the film is outrageously problematic with its blatant examples of racism and references to slavery. The project was obviously trying to make a political statement by referring to the wealthy white man as “U.S.” and having Jack ultimately teach Eric how a real friend should be treated. Not to mention, a bizarre plot point involving a KKK Grand Wizard who gets arrested during a slapstick food fight. Regardless of Donner’s intentions, the humor of The Toy comes at the expense of Jack’s clumsiness as a servant and his portrayal as an object purchased for the entertainment of others and controlled by those who own him. The messaging of the movie perpetuates racist stereotypes by encouraging the audience to view the character’s examples of bigotry as lighthearted missteps by individual people rather than acknowledging the systemic discrimination at the heart of the story.
