Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

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Screenwise Verdict

City of Angels wants to be a profound meditation on love and mortality, but mostly it's just slow. Nicolas Cage stares wistfully, Meg Ryan is charming, and the Goo Goo Dolls soundtrack does heavy lifting. The premise is interesting—what would an immortal being sacrifice to feel human connection?—but the execution is ponderous.

The real issue: this movie is nearly 30 years old and feels every minute of it. The pacing is glacial by modern standards, the dialogue often clunky, and the whole thing takes itself so seriously that it tips into unintentional melodrama. Your teen will likely find it boring, full stop.

There's also the ending: Meg Ryan's character dies in a bike accident literally the day after they consummate their relationship and Cage becomes human. It's meant to be poignant—he got to experience love even if briefly—but it lands more like a gut-punch that makes the whole journey feel pointless.

If you're nostalgic for late-90s romance or want to discuss big philosophical questions with a mature teen, there's material here. But honestly? There are better, more engaging films that explore similar themes without requiring your kid to slog through two hours of Nicolas Cage looking sad in a trench coat.

Age Fit

Best for mature teens 14+ who can handle slow pacing, adult themes, and a tragic ending. Honestly, this is more of a nostalgia watch for parents who saw it in theaters than something modern teens will choose on their own. The 90s earnestness and glacial speed make it a tough sell in 2025.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

72

A gentle love story between an angel and a doctor that emphasizes sacrifice, connection, and the beauty of human experience. The relationship models tenderness and respect, though the tragic ending (spoiler: the doctor dies in a bike accident shortly after they consummate their relationship) undercuts some of the emotional health. The tone is melancholic and contemplative rather than uplifting.

Imaginative

68

The premise of angels walking among us, invisible to humans, observing life without experiencing it, is conceptually interesting. Nicolas Cage's angel choosing to 'fall' and become human to experience love and sensation offers philosophical questions about what it means to be alive. However, the execution is slow and ponderous—more meditative than inventive. It's a remake of Wim Wenders' 'Wings of Desire' but stripped of much of the original's visual poetry.

Safe

65

Common Sense Media rates it 14+. There's a sex scene (tastefully shot but present), some brief nudity, and the sudden, tragic death of Meg Ryan's character that could be emotionally jarring for younger viewers. No graphic violence or gore, but the unexpected loss after the couple finally gets together is a gut-punch that parents should know about. The PG-13 rating (assumed, given the era and content) is accurate but on the mature end.

Enriching

58

The film raises questions about mortality, the value of human experience, and what we sacrifice for love. There's potential for discussions about what makes life meaningful and whether feeling pain is worth feeling joy. However, the pacing is glacial, the dialogue often wooden, and the philosophy is presented in a heavy-handed way that feels more pretentious than profound. The Goo Goo Dolls soundtrack does more emotional lifting than the script.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Explores big questions about mortality, love, and what makes life worth living in a way that could spark meaningful conversations
The central premise—an immortal being choosing to become human for love—is genuinely romantic if you can get past the glacial pacing
Models a respectful, tender relationship between the leads (until the tragic end)
The angel's perspective on human life—observing children, comforting the dying—offers moments of genuine beauty
Audiences liked it way more than critics (82% vs 57% on RT), so there's clearly something here for the right viewer

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What to Watch For

Sex scene and brief nudity make this a hard pass for anyone under 13
The doctor dies in a bike accident right after they finally get together—it's sudden and devastating, not a feel-good ending
Extremely slow pacing that modern teens will find boring; this is 1998 prestige drama speed
The film takes itself very seriously in a way that can feel pretentious rather than profound

Conversation Starters

"If you could experience being human for just one day, what would you want to feel or do?"
"The angel gives up immortality for love—do you think that's romantic or foolish?"
"Why do you think the movie ends tragically instead of happily? What's the point of that choice?"
"Would you rather live forever but never really feel anything, or have a short life full of intense experiences?"

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