Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
PG

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Let the magic begin.

2001 • 152 min • Adventure · Fantasy

Synopsis

Harry Potter has lived under the stairs at his aunt and uncle's house his whole life. But on his 11th birthday, he learns he's a powerful wizard—with a place waiting for him at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As he learns to harness his newfound powers with the help of the school's kindly headmaster, Harry uncovers the truth about his parents' deaths—and about the villain who's to blame.

Our family guide

Best from age 7
92
Movie Knight Score
29939 reviews
  • 100 Reviewers · 4 · 60%
  • 79 Audience · 29935 · 40%

Harry Potter discovers he's a wizard and attends Hogwarts, a magical boarding school. Alongside new friends, he learns about his past and faces challenges, uncovering the truth behind his parents' deaths and confronting a dark force.

Violence & peril
3/10
Language
1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking
1/10
Romance & sensuality
0/10
Scary moments
4/10

Heads up

  • Some scenes with magical creatures and dark figures may be frightening.
  • Mild bullying from other students.
  • Brief mention of a child's parents being murdered.
  • Characters are shown drinking butterbeer.

What it models well

  • Friendship and loyalty
  • Courage in the face of fear
  • Standing up to bullies
  • The importance of choice

Talk about it after

  • What makes Harry, Ron, and Hermione good friends?
  • How does Harry show bravery even when scared?
  • Discuss the idea of a 'chosen one' and responsibility.
  • Why is it important to ask for help when you need it?

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

Where to watch

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Top billed cast

Director: Chris Columbus • Crew: Steve Kloves

Trailers & clips

Hagrid Crashes Harry's Birthday - Movie Clip

Harry, Ron and Hermione Look for the Philosopher's Stone - Full Scene

Troll in the Dungeon! - Full Scene

Archival interview with the cast of Harry Potter

Official Trailer

Harry “Catches” the Golden Snitch

Magical Movie Mode - Hogwarts Letters

Magical Movie Mode - Wingardium Leviosa

Reviewer notes

Recommended

It is impossible to imagine a world now, in 2020, that does not include these characters from the fantastically creative imagination of JK Rowling. That she worked closely with Chris Columbus in the creation of this adaptation of her introductory story featuring the boy-wizard means it stays broadly faithful to the book but allows the imagery to replace, rather than duplicate, the narrative. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupe...

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers

_Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone_ is a masterclass is world building. This movie's world breathes and slowly discovering every inch of it is a joy, from Diagon Alley to Hogwarts Castle. I would not say the story is overly brilliant, but that is just a catalyst for the world in this first film. Despite its minor drawbacks, it does enough to intrigue the viewer and kept me engaged. The performances ar...

Recommended

Alright first lets start with my problems with this movie. Some of the effects do not hold up and that can take away from the magic or suspense. The child actors are not very good at acting in this movie. It is way to easy to nitpick this movie and all the nitpicks can be very distracting. I think the main theme was used way to much in the beginning and that kind of took the magic out of the main theme for me...

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers

Ahh, the magic begins. Harry Potter is an Orphan who on his eleventh birthday discovers he's a wizard and is called to term at Hogwarts School. But Harry is soon to find out that his past, and his destiny, is a truly remarkable, magical, and terrifying thing. Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone arrived in a blaze of publicity, one of the most hyped and talked about motion pictures of the decade had fina...

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Gallery

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Details

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