Max Keeble's Big Move (PG)

Slapstick humor and fun premise kids will love.

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Common Sense rates it
4
Seen the movie? Review it
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Movie details
  • Studio: Disney
  • Directed By: Tim Hill
  • Release Date: 10/04/2001
  • Genre: Family and Kids
  • MPAA Rating: PG
  • MPAA Explanation: bullying and brief crude humor

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie has some crude humor, including a jockstrap, vomit, whacking someone in a sensitive area, and some schoolyard language. Kids do foolish and dangerous things, including riding a bicycle down cement steps, sucking helium, breaking into school at night, putting chemicals into a character's breath spray, and operating machinery. Kids are harassed by bullies in various ways, including a "swirlie." One of the bullies is black, but so is the friendly manager of the animal shelter.

Families can talk about why some kids act like bullies and why other kids let them. Some adults can act like bullies, too. The movie makes it clear that Max's father has to learn how to deal with a bullying boss. What is the best way to respond to a bully? When should you ask adults for help? The janitor tells Max that "any kid can make a mess -- it takes a man to clean it up." And Max tells the kids that they should not bully the bullies when they get the chance because that would make them bullies, too. Families may want to discuss this in light of America's consideration of the response to terrorism.

Message

Social Behavior:

Tolerance of individual differences, black and white good and bad guys

Consumerism:

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

None

Violence

None Comic peril

Sex

Mild references, some gross moments

Language

Schoolyard vulgarities

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Nell Minow

Max Keeble (Alex D. Lindz) is filled with hope on his first day of middle school, but things just refuse to go right. The school bully, who telegraphs each day's victim by emblazoning the name on his t-shirt, has selected Max as his starting point. His dream girl is a foot taller than he is and barely knows who he is. The animal shelter near the school is about to be shut down. An evil ice cream truck driver is after him. When Max finds out that his family is going to move to Chicago in just two days he is angry and sad until it occurs to him that this presents an opportunity for revenge without consequences. Before anyone can catch up with him, he'll be gone. Max and his friends Megan (Zena Gray) and "Robe" (Josh Peck) set up a variety of pranks and enjoy them very much. But then it turns out that Megan and Robe do not have the "plausible deniability" Max promised. And that Max is not moving after all.

Is it any good?

4

I smiled a couple of times and can even say I enjoyed myself, but MAX KEEBLE'S BIG MOVE is clearly a movie that no adult will ever be able to get the way a kid does. An adult is going to sit there and say, "Wait a minute! Why doesn't he just tell his parents?" or "No principal ever acted like that!" But a kid knows that none of that matters, any more than it mattered that no kid could ever string up the booby traps of "Home Alone." This movie is just for fun, and it fits the bill.

Kids all around me laughed happily at the slapstick humor, especially the scenes with the evil principal, Mr. Jindraike (Larry Miller) and the cafeteria food fight. They loved seeing the school's two bullies (one throws kids in the dumpster, one takes their money) get their just desserts. Lindz has a lot of personality and he keeps us rooting for Max.

Other choices

Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 5 reviews.

2


Posted on 07/06/08 by Tsion Adult contributor

A Cute Kid's Flick, but Cute just Doesn't Cut It...

MAX KEEBLE'S BIG MOVE is fine for kids. The child actors are okay, and the principal is funny. Kids will love the food fights, juvenile behavior, and Home Alone-style booby traps. But I wasn't impressed. There's no sex. Violence is mild, with a few pratfalls into garbage cans and food-strewn cafeteria floors. Bullies are rampant in Max's school, but they aren't frightening or menacing. Language consists of some mild schoolyard names: "sucker", "loser", etc. The film carries age-old messages: know who your real friends are, apologize, and be a good friend. But that just doesn't cut it. I appreciate low content levels and good messages as much, if not more, than the next guy, but this just isn't the best movie ever. Fine for kids, but not that great for adults.
5


Posted on 05/05/08 by Mojo02 Kid contributor, age 12

Saw it

They showd this in school. Everyone loved it. so did i
0


Posted on 02/17/08 by rock lee 619 Kid contributor, age 11

zzzzzzz........

all i have to say is loser!!! stupid!! lame!! zzzzz......
5


Posted on 08/04/07 by big_sister Kid contributor, age 13
2

Posted on 03/05/05 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 13

Acceptable

It was 'acceptable'. I watched it on Disney Channel last night. I am 12 yrs old, and it fits the 6yrs+ range. It didn't have any bathroom jokes or anything gross. So, overall, it was good.

Adult Reviews

There are 1 reviews.

2


Posted on 07/06/08 by Tsion Adult contributor

A Cute Kid's Flick, but Cute just Doesn't Cut It...

MAX KEEBLE'S BIG MOVE is fine for kids. The child actors are okay, and the principal is funny. Kids will love the food fights, juvenile behavior, and Home Alone-style booby traps. But I wasn't impressed. There's no sex. Violence is mild, with a few pratfalls into garbage cans and food-strewn cafeteria floors. Bullies are rampant in Max's school, but they aren't frightening or menacing. Language consists of some mild schoolyard names: "sucker", "loser", etc. The film carries age-old messages: know who your real friends are, apologize, and be a good friend. But that just doesn't cut it. I appreciate low content levels and good messages as much, if not more, than the next guy, but this just isn't the best movie ever. Fine for kids, but not that great for adults.

Kids Reviews

There are 4 reviews.

5


Posted on 05/05/08 by Mojo02 Kid contributor, age 12

Saw it

They showd this in school. Everyone loved it. so did i
0


Posted on 02/17/08 by rock lee 619 Kid contributor, age 11

zzzzzzz........

all i have to say is loser!!! stupid!! lame!! zzzzz......
5


Posted on 08/04/07 by big_sister Kid contributor, age 13
2

Posted on 03/05/05 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 13

Acceptable

It was 'acceptable'. I watched it on Disney Channel last night. I am 12 yrs old, and it fits the 6yrs+ range. It didn't have any bathroom jokes or anything gross. So, overall, it was good.
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