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Beauty and the Beast

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 4, age appropriate for kids over 5; suggested age 5.
  • Is it any good?

    5.0
  • Common Sense says

    You can't judge a beast by his cupboard.

updated 07.04.08

Why We Rated This on for Ages 5 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Characters change for the better -- Belle sees the beautiful person inside Beast, and he sheds his anger and sacrifices his own happiness for hers. The household staff band together as a family would, and Belle and her father take care of each other. Belle is a good role model, valuing reading and individuality.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness :

    Beast has angry outbursts at first. Fierce wolves attack the main characters. Townspeople decide to kill Beast, and storm the castle. Gaston stabs Beast then falls to his death.
  • Sexy stuff :

    Lumiere comically flirts with the French maid with fooling around implied.
  • Language:

    Not an issue.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Beauty and the Beast

Parents need to know that Beast's initial ferocity might scare younger viewers. Once kids have seen his gentle side, they may find scenes of him being hunted and stabbed by Gaston emotionally intense. For kids mature enough for feature-lengths stories, this may be one of the best Disney movies they could spend time with, in a league of its own in terms of intelligence, production quality, and originality.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about Belle and Beast's first impressions of each other. What did they discover about each other as their relationship grew?
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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer
    Age 10
    Lives in Illinois
    I rate this title on for age 3 and give it 5.0

    good! Not inapropriate at all!

    I loved it! It was very good. I don't understand why so many people think it's inapropriate. As a parent you will have to expose your child a little more each time as they get older. Now I'm not saying to show them sweeney todd or night at the roxbury, but you have to know that not every movie will not be happy bunnies dancing around! but still a very good movie with good roll models.

  2. Teen Reviewer
    Age 13
    Lives in Ohio
    I rate this title iffy for age 5 and give it 4.0

    Good, but may frighten children

    Well, I definitely think younger kids would enjoy this movie, but beware, parents, because they can become frightened when the Beast bursts out in rage toward Belle and some others. There are some other scenes that may frighten your child so watch out for those.

  3. Teen Reviewer
    Age 14
    Lives in Maine
    I rate this title iffy for age 6 and give it 5.0

    it's a little embarrasing to confess this but: this movie really scared me when I watched it when I was about 5,and still scares me NOW. I've seen a lot of horror movies (the omen,the ring,the ring 2, the grudge,the grudge 2,halloween,prom night,the unborn,mirrors,the eye...) but this movie really scares me. ;)

  4. I rate this title on for age 4 and give it 5.0

    A Stunningly Beautiful Film!

    This is an A+ movie. The music, characters, and story are all brilliant. The voice talents are perfect, and the animation is spectacular. I really can't lavish enough praise on this film. The Prince had no love in his heart. For this, the Enchantress turned him into a beast. He has until the last petal drops from an enchanted rose to give and receive love, or he will remain a beast forever. Later, a beauty named Belle enters the bitter Beast's castle looking for her father, who Beast is holding captive. She exchanges her life as a prisoner for her father's, but soon, she begins to change the Beast and they fall in love. Simple premise, right? Yet it couldn't have been executed more perfectly. This is a great movie for families. Kids will love the castle servants, turned into household objects, and adults will appreciate the subtle humor between Jerry Orbach as Lumiere the candlestick and David Ogden Steirs as Cogsworth the clock. The message is moving, the songs catchy and fun. There’s no objectionable content at all. Perfect movie for families. The only animated film to be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. It deserved to win.

  5. Adult Reviewer
    Anonymous
    Lives in Illinois
    I rate this title iffy for age 5 and give it 3.0

    Be careful..

    To most this looks like an innocent movie. It is not that simple. The message my little girl gets is that Belle can fix the angry beast. Well, I work with victims of sexual assault and domestic violence and for me.. that theme is a bit over the top. The movie does have good points, and yes not judging a book by its cover is one of them. Please, just watch it with your children. There are many scenes that Belle is abused verbally, but it is disguised as "oh, poor Beast". No. Also the candle "flirts" with the broomstick as she's saying "no", good message? I think not. I do like the movie, but I do hope that parents are watching it with children to explain further more than simply applauding Belle, tell them it also would have been fine for Belle to leave the beast when he was unkind. She did not have to stay and "fix" him. Just please, do not take this as me hating the movie or being over-sensitive, but I see women like Belle fixing their Beasts daily and it is almost horrifying to see a movie centered around a popular heroine for young girls doing the same thing. Thanks and again.. I like the movie and some of its many messages, but again I can't stress enough to watch this WITH your children.

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