The Stepfather – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

The Stepfather

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie1987

22%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

1987 horror about a family-murdering psychopath hunting for suburban perfection—too dated and disturbing for most viewers.

6.7/10

89%

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The Stepfather

movie

R, 1987

22%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

1987 horror about a family-murdering psychopath hunting for suburban perfection—too dated and disturbing for most viewers.

6.7

89%

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6.7/10

89%

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, this is a cult classic among horror fans, and there's genuine psychological depth to its critique of suburban perfectionism. Terry O'Quinn is legitimately creepy.

But let's be real: it's a 1987 movie about a serial killer who murders entire families, and it looks and feels every bit as dated as that sounds. The 22% on Rotten Tomatoes tells you what you need to know about how it holds up.

For parents: this is absolutely not for kids or young teens, despite what Common Sense Media's 13+ rating suggests. The violence is severe, the themes are disturbing, and there's zero reason to expose anyone under 17 to this unless they're specifically into horror film history.

For adults who love '80s psychological thrillers? Sure, it's worth a watch if you're curious. But don't expect modern pacing or production values. This is a museum piece, not a must-see.

Age Fit

This is really for adults who enjoy psychological horror and can appreciate '80s cult thrillers despite dated execution. Common Sense Media says 13+, but that feels young—17+ is more realistic for the severe violence and disturbing themes. Most teens would find it boring anyway.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

A psychological horror-thriller about a serial killer who murders families when they don't meet his vision of perfection. The entire premise centers on domestic violence, family annihilation, and psychological manipulation. Nothing about this models healthy relationships or emotional well-being—it's designed to be deeply disturbing.

Imaginative

For its time, this was a clever psychological thriller that explored the dark side of suburban perfection and the Reagan-era obsession with the 'perfect family.' Terry O'Quinn's performance as a man who literally changes identities to chase an idealized domestic fantasy is genuinely creative. But it's a 1987 horror film—the execution feels dated, the pacing is slow by modern standards, and the cinematography looks like a TV movie.

Safe

IMDb Parents Guide rates violence as 'Severe' with multiple murders including family annihilation. Common Sense Media and parent reviews confirm 'a lot of violence' and 'disturbing images.' The opening scene shows the aftermath of a family massacre. This is exactly the kind of content that would be deeply inappropriate and potentially traumatic for kids to stumble upon. The only reason it's not a zero is that it's not gratuitously gory by modern horror standards—but it's still a movie about a man who murders his families.

Enriching

There's legitimate psychological depth here about identity, perfectionism, and the dark underbelly of American suburban ideals. Metacritic's 72 suggests critics recognized its intelligence. For older teens and adults who can handle the content, it could spark discussions about toxic masculinity, domestic violence warning signs, and the danger of idealized family fantasies. But it's entertainment first, not educational, and the dated execution limits its impact.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Terry O'Quinn delivers a genuinely unsettling performance as a man who kills families that don't meet his standards
Explores dark themes about perfectionism, identity, and the toxicity lurking beneath suburban ideals
For horror fans interested in '80s psychological thrillers, it's a cult classic that influenced later films
Metacritic's 72 suggests critics saw real intelligence in its social commentary about Reagan-era family values

⚠

What to Watch For

Severe violence including family murder—the opening shows the aftermath of a massacre
Deeply disturbing premise about domestic violence and psychological manipulation
Dated 1987 production values make it feel slow and TV-movie-ish by modern standards
Common Sense Media says 14+ but honestly, even mature teens might find this more traumatizing than entertaining

Conversation Starters

"What warning signs did the stepdaughter notice that adults missed?"
"Why do you think the character is so obsessed with having the 'perfect' family?"
"How does this movie critique the idea of the ideal American family?"

Deep Dive

The suburban nightmare fuel you forgot about

There is a specific kind of 1980s thriller that feels like a Lifetime movie directed by a psychopath. The Stepfather is the king of that hill. While modern horror like The Nun II relies on supernatural jumps and loud noises, this movie gets its kicks from the guy next door losing his mind because the birdhouse isn't straight.

The central hook is simple: a man murders his family, changes his identity, and tries to find the "perfect" family in a new town. When the new family inevitably shows their human flaws—maybe the daughter is a bit rebellious or the mom isn't submissive enough—he resets the clock with a hardware store tool. It is a slow-burn character study disguised as a slasher, and it works because it taps into that universal childhood fear that the "new guy" in the house isn't who he says he is.

The weirdness of the 22% score

You’ll notice a massive gap between the 72 on Metacritic and the 22% Rotten Tomatoes critic score. That usually happens when a movie is a cult favorite that didn't play well to the general press of the era. To a 1987 critic, this probably looked like cheap exploitation. To a modern viewer, it’s a fascinating time capsule of Reagan-era anxiety.

It lacks the polished, cinematic gore of other 1987 hits. If you compare it to The Untouchables: Is This 80s Bloodbath Too Much for Your Teen?, the violence here feels much more intimate and domestic. It’s not about gangsters in the street; it’s about a man snapping in the basement. That makes it harder to watch for some, even if the body count is lower than a standard slasher.

Why it’s a "parents-only" watch

The Common Sense Media 13+ rating is a trap. This isn't a "scary fun" movie for a middle school sleepover. The themes are heavy on domestic abuse, psychological gaslighting, and the literal slaughter of children. There is zero "fun" in the kills.

If your teen is genuinely interested in the history of the genre, we have a list of Must-See Slashers and Thrillers for Fans of Prom Night and The Stepfather that puts this movie in context. But for a casual Friday night? This is the kind of movie that leaves you feeling grimy.

The pacing is also a hurdle. If you’re used to the breakneck speed of modern streaming thrillers, the first hour of this might feel like a chore. It spends a lot of time on "Jerry" trying to be a good guy, which makes the eventual explosion of violence more effective, but it requires a level of patience most younger viewers won't have for a movie made forty years ago. Watch it for Terry O’Quinn’s performance, which is genuinely one of the best "hidden" gems in horror history, but keep the kids far away from this particular family dinner.

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