Julie Samrick
Kid Focused
To look around the movie theater, parents had the biggest smiles on their faces during Mr. Peabody & Sherman, the new animated Dreamworks film that's a nod to the past while still offering a clever, fresh plot.
Mr. Peabody and Sherman is based on the adventures of the1960s characters of the same name. A genius dog adopts a human boy and the father/son duo break the time space continuum in their self-made time machine. They visit major conflicts during world history including the French Revolution and Trojan War. During lighter times they pal around with the likes of George Washington and Leonardo DaVinci. All goes swimmingly until Sherman starts school and a mean girl wreaks havoc on their secret time travel lifestyle.
Mr. Peabody & Sherman offers a broad, quick glimpse of history for younger viewers that will pique their interest. Still, the heart of the film is the relationship between father and son.
Kid Focused Grades for Mr. Peabody & Sherman:
Compelling story line- A-
Like the popular Magic Treehouse book series, kids will walk away thinking history is cool. The story of a dog adopting a boy (and the more serious this all gets) is goofy though, but kids won't mind.
Strong message- A-
Learning doesn't always happen in a classroom. Don't judge a book by its cover. The ubiquitous, 21st-century theme: families come in all forms (which could have some looking deeply at how much the filmmakers wanted to embellish this point).
Leading character is a role model- A
Mr. Peabody is a strong, loving, smart and respectable father to Sherman's sweet, obedient, funny son-refreshing to see in 2014.
Sexual or adult content - B+
Sherman develops a crush. The mean principal gets carried off by Agamemnon-
they hug and kiss back in Troy.
Language and Violence- C
A few bullying words like "stupid" and "loser" are said. There are some scenes when the characters confront scary situations like when Mr. Peabody almost gets his head chopped off or when the ancient Egyptians explain how wives would be eviscerated if their husbands were to die first.
Suited for the whole family- A-/B+
Though my 5-year-old daughter wasn't scared during Mr. Peabody & Sherman, most of the historical references went right over her head. This film is for older kids at least 7 and older.
Overall Kid Focused Grade for Mr. Peabody & Sherman: B+
Rated PG Running Time: 1 hour 31 minutes
Julie Samrick is a stay-at-home mom of four young kids and the founder of Kid Focused, a site devoted to children and family issues. Subscribe to the free Kid Focused newsletter delivered weekly to your inbox. If you enjoyed this post, "Like" us on Facebook for updates on more posts like it. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
