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Bored on Friday night? We have you covered. Welcome to Wimp Movie Night, where each week we suggest a family friendly film for your viewing pleasure. This week’s film is 1987’s adventure classic The Princess Bride.

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Review: 

The Princess Bride has the distinction of being one of the most crowd-pleasing family films of all time. While its basic story is familiar – a redeemed hero sets out to rescue his lost love from an evil prince – the film’s unique blend of genres make it something wholly its own. It has action, romance, horror, comedy, and a perfect sense of pacing that never allows one element to take over too drastically. 

Narrated by a grandfather reading to his sick grandson, this post-modern fairy tale slowly unfolds with the delightful playfulness of a bedtime story, complete with addressing the critical questions children sometimes have about fairy tales. Questions like this.  

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Of course, it isn’t just a kissing book… er… movie. Oscar winner William Goldman’s script is full of people who have lost things, from Wesley and Buttercup’s lost love to the swordsman Inigo Montoya’s quest to avenge his murdered father. For some fans it’s remembered as a romance, others view it as a comedy or an action film. There’s no wrong way to look at The Princess Bride. It’s all of those things at once, neatly wrapped in a blanket of witty comedy and heart-pounding action. 

Wrestling legend Andre the Giant shines as Fezzik, a mighty giant who’s more interested in telling silly rhymes than smashing heads, even if that’s his main occupation. Mandy Patinkin’s Inigo Montoya is a heartbroken swordsman, hiding his pain behind a swinging blade and his equally sharp wit. Cary Elwes and Robin Wright encapsulate the aching pain of lost love with humor that keeps it from ever getting too serious. Few films can pull off romantic comedy elements in a fire-breathing swamp. After watching The Princess Bride, you’ll wish more movies tried. 

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Couple these loveable characters with some of the greatest sword fights in cinema history, and you have an action classic that has a little something for everyone in your viewing party. 

Content: 

The Princess Bride is rated PG, but it is very much a ‘80s PG film. People die during sword fights, are attacked by giant rat monsters, and, at one point, contemplate taking their own life. While there is blood, it’s never gratuitous. For families with children under seven or eight, keep your little ones close during the Fire Swamp sequence, just in case they find it too intense. Also, there is some mild profanity towards the end of the film. 

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Is It Streaming: 

As of 11/20/15 you can stream the movie on Encore’s Play app. Check your cable provider to see if you have access to this service. It is also available for rental from iTunes, Redbox, Vudu, and other major streaming sites. It also regularly plays on basic cable. 

Will Adults Like It: 

Yes. No matter what genre of film you like The Princess Bride has you covered. Smart comedy, thrilling sword fights, heart-pounding romance, emotionally devastating defeats, and redemptions: there’s a little something for everyone. The Princess Bride is the sort of film you might remember from your childhood that, upon revisiting, will reveal new wonders you forgot about the first time around. Put it in the same category as Forest Gump and Shawshank Redemption, great movies you see while channel surfing and finish watching no matter where you come in. This is, simply put, a classic. 

You can view the trailer for The Princess Bride below. If you’ve already seen the film, let us know what you think about it in the comments. 

Read more: http://www.wimp.com/wimp-movie-night-the-princess-bride/