Over the Hedge - PG

Cute animated tale of animals invading the 'burbs.

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Rating: PG for for some rude humor and mild comic action. Studio: Dreamworks SKG Directed By: Tim Johnson, Karey Kirkpatrick Cast: Garry Shandling, William Shatner, Bruce Willis Running Time: 96 minutes Release Date: 05/19/2006 Genre: Family and Kids

Common Sense Note

Parents should know that this animated movie includes a fair amount of cartoon violence. Characters are crushed, blown up, flattened, banged, burned, and bounced -- all in good, Chuck-Jones-influenced fun. Animal protagonists steal food from each other and from unsympathetic humans. When a raccoon steals a bear's winter stash of food, the bear threatens retaliation and the raccoon fools other "foragers" into stealing food from humans to repay the bear and save himself. A human exterminator brings traps and brutal gizmos (his truck is adorned by a man slamming a bunny with a hammer). This exterminator suffers physical abuses (zapped by his own traps). Younger kids will laugh at the obvious stuff and won't get the edgier humor aimed at older audiences, so this is one that several age groups can enjoy together.

Families can discuss the film's satire of life in the suburbs. They could also talk about the lesson RJ and his friends learn: that supporting each other as a family is more important than their individual desires. They could also use the film and its soundtrack to talk to kids about the greater impact of our actions.

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Cynthia Fuchs

Cute and zippy, OVER THE HEDGE offers animal shenanigans, an amusing social critique, songs by Ben Folds, and cartoony explosions galore. Good fun for everyone!

RJ the raccoon (voiced by Bruce Willis) gets the mischief started when he steals a little red wagon full of treats from a hibernating bear, Vincent (Nick Nolte). Awakened and annoyed, the bear threatens to kill RJ unless he replaces all the missing items (they're smooshed in a traffic accident). RJ hatches a plan when he sees a family of foragers wake for springtime. When they bemoan their shrinking forest, he leads them "over the hedge" to steal convenience foods from recently installed suburban dwellers. Accompanied by a smart montage, RJ describes the humans' seemingly endless capacity for consuming: "These guys live to eat!"

While Hammy the squirrel (scene-stealing Steve Carell), shy skunk Stella (Wanda Sykes), and Ozzie, a possum who loves playing dead (William Shatner, at his splendiferous Kirkiest), are easily won over by RJ's scheme, timid tortoise Verne (Garry Shandling) complains that his "tail is tingling," a sign that RJ is not to be trusted. But the raccoon is shrewd, and the scenario he lays out -- all food, all the time -- is mighty tempting. So it's not long before he has everyone scampering into the well-appointed, big-lawned abode of Homeowners' Association President Gladys (Allison Janney), who appears to have her cell phone attached to her ear.

In this new world, "the grass is greener," and the acorn-munching kids (including a girl possum voiced by Avril Lavigne) discover the great tastes they've been missing: cheese dust, pizza, donuts, and Girl Scout cookies. The animals are not so prepared for the humans' ferocious desire to protect their stuff, however, and soon the dastardly exterminator (Thomas Haden Church) arrives, armed with traps and weapons.

Plainly inspired by the brilliant Chuck Jones, the movie gets in easy digs at the burbs, a nifty homage to Pepe Le Pew (via Stella's faux-seduction of a Persian "guard cat" [Omid Djalili]), and yet another chance for Willis to make good fun of himself.

Families who like this movie will also like The Incredibles, Shrek, or Toy Story.

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Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content Mild references to female skunk's "appeal," as she's sent to distract a guardian cat.
Violence Cartoon violence (characters smashed, flattened, blown up, and crushed); bear threatens to "hunt down and kill" raccoon; human exterminator arrives on scene with traps, poison, explosives; from raccoon's POV, suburban backyard is filled with dangerous items (bug zapper, falling birdbath, sprinklers, knives); woman chases animals with broom; squirrel pretends to be rabid to scare Girl Scout; dog chases raccoon through several yards and over decks, crashing through fences; little girl possum kicked down stairs, appears to be dead.
Language Very mild, occasional language ("shoot!", "butt," "dang"); the turtle calls others "stupid," "naive," and "ignorant."
Message
	Social Behavior Characters lie and steal, but learn to appreciate self-declared/non-blood families.
	Commercialism Dr. Phil on TV; various commercial food products renamed (potato chips in a can, corn chips and cheese curls in bags, candies, etc.).
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Sugar acts like a drug for Hammy.