The Addams Family

The Addams Family (1991)

  • 60% of critics liked it
    (40 reviews)

  • 65% of users liked it
    (289,645 ratings)

Inspired more by the 1960s TV series than by the original Charles Addams New Yorker cartoons, The Addams Family proved to be one of the more successful of the TV shows-turned-movies of the 1990s. The film opens on a recreation of the magazine cartoon wherein the ghoulish Addamses prepare to pour hot… More

Play Trailer

PG-13, 1 hr. 42 min.
Directed By
Barry Sonnenfeld
Written By
Caroline Thompson
Genres
Horror, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy
In Theaters
Nov 22, 1991 Wide
On DVD
Feb 22, 2000
Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

    They're creepy and they're predictable? Mysterious and rather tame?

  • Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

    An extended collection of one-liners and not much more.

  • , Variety

    Despite inspired casting and nifty visual trappings, the eagerly awaited Addams Family figures as a major disappointment.

  • Janet Maslin, New York Times

    The film's aimlessness and repetitiveness eventually become draining.

  • Joe Brown, Washington Post

    An otherwise very funny scene featuring Thing amounts to an extended ad for Federal Express, and the rap beats from Hammer's new album boom from passing cars in several scenes -- nothing will date this movie faster.

Read all 18 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Phil H


    Of course we all know what this is based on, the excellent cartoons of one Charles Addams, his macabre little sketches were visually simple yet highly imaginative (for the time) and in my opinion ahead of their time. Many incarnations of Addams creation have come and gone, most of… More

  • moon r


    Charles Addams tongue-in-cheek, in- joke cartoons about uber cosmo New Yorkers against the without-a-clue rest of us is given an entertaining screen treatment thanks to a cast giving a performance to, er, die for. Very cute.

  • Brad W


    I actually enjoyed this family fun movie, even with the weird storyline.

  • Tim S


    Hadn't seen this in years, and it still holds up stylistically and comedically. This is just a fun movie. It's not out to impress anyone, just entertain. As far as an adaptation goes, it's a pretty faithful one - with liberties taken here and there. I love the old… More

  • Jennifer X


    I only like this for Wednesday Addams, whose style is someone I strive to attain.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

Cast

See full cast

Trailers & Clips

facebook_logo

Now you can share movies with your friends on Facebook!

  • Discover movies your friends are watching
  • Keep track of what you want to see
  • Add your reviews to your Timeline