Ummm... I'm not big on the kissing, but I guess its an ok movie.
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Penelope
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings(Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)
Not age appropriate for kids under 8, age appropriate for kids over 10; suggested age 10. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Offbeat romantic comedy is sweet but lightweight.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 10 and Up
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
About Penelope
Parents need to know that this fairy-tale-like film has a lot of heart. There's not much iffy content (a bit of drinking and innuendo is the bulk of it), and the main character is devoted to discovering her own identity and making peace with her circumstances, though it's sometimes hard for her to overcome her shame. Her parents -- especially her mother -- can't seem to accept her as she is, which could be upsetting for some younger viewers. But in the end (naturally), everything wraps up nicely.
Read our full review by S. Jhoanna Robledo
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about how this movie is like a fairy tale. What does it have in common with more traditional "once upon a time" stories? How is it different? What lesson do Penelope and her family learn from their curse? Are the men's reactions to Penelope understandable or reprehensible? What shapes their expectations of how a woman ought to look?
Our Members Say
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title on for age 7 and give itMy concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
Uhhh...
- I rate this title on for age 9 and give itMy concerns are:
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Perfect for Tweens
I really loved this movie. I thought that the end kissing sequences should have been more moderate. Penelope did have a few too many drinks in the middle, (and resulted drunk), but it was a very clean movie. A little moderate cussing, but approved for 9+!
- I rate this title on for age 7 and give itMy concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Romantic Movie with No Faults
I LOVE this movie! I watched it with my friend and my sister who was six at the time and she didn't love it as much as me because she didn't understand it but she watches it now and loves it because she can understand it. It is a sweet movie with a WONDERFUL message. The drinking and smoking isn't awful, and Penelope is older so she needs to learn to drink. The language slips 4 or 5 times in the entire movie, and is just a h--- or d---, nothing worse. It is just romance, so it has to have some intense kissing, which I personally loved. This will appeal to ages 7+
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
The movie teaches kids to believe in theirselves.
- I rate this title on for age 10 and give itMy concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
Great movie, despite a few profanities.
I loved the movie, but I don't know why you didn't include "s%!#" in the list of profanities? A few characters use that word, with about 10 or so usages in total. Which is a lot for a family movie, IMO. But apart from that I think it was a great movie, and I would happily watch it again!
- I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
Charming and heartfelt!
What a totally cute flick this was! It's got an original storyline and it definitely keeps you watching. The "scary" parts in this film I think are meant to be comedy, that's why I think it should have been rated PG-13. Young kids don't know what is comedy and what isn't, in these types of movies. I absolutely adored Penelope (Christina Ricci is awesome), and even with her pig nose, she is beautiful! Good messages throughout - It doesn't matter what you look like, there is ALWAYS someone out there who will love you for YOU. Be yourself, nothing more.
- I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
Lovable Love Story!
This movie was great! A long time ago there a curse was set on the next baby girl born in the family. Penelope is the first one. After a gazillion guys, one who actually might love her shows up. But he's not rich so he doesn't accept her. He wants her to break the spell and be happy. That to me was so sweet. This guy - James McAvoy - did a great job. Of course it ends with the finally every after but I don't want to expose much for those who haven't seen it. Its like a fairy tale and told like one, so its pretty cool for the whole family. All the actors were great. The worse things they show are gambling and drinking and two kisses. Like if they were a huge factor! Watch this movie its a lot of Fun!
- I rate this title off for age 12 and give it
Twisted dark fairytale- horror-"lite" for tweens and up
In the first 10 minutes alone, the mother is horrified and embarrassed about her daughter looks, fakes her daughter's death to get the news cameras away and then they show the casket entering the creamatorium, flames and all. It only gets worse from there. I would say 12 and up. Adult themes and definately not a disney movie. Yes, it revolves around the "love yourself" theme, but at one point she states that if the curse isn't broken she'll kill herself. YES, she actually says that. My daughter asked me what that meant. I was horrified. What turns her "normal" again is a nice touch, but it has too much of a "Tim Burton film feel" as one of the other reviewers stated. If you won't allow your child to see corpse bride or nightmare before Christmas, or even coaraline (not by Burton but close enough), I'd skip this one too. At least this one wasn't marketed to the very young. Christina Ricci was excellent in this role. And Catherine O'Hara is charmingly repulsive as the mother. The scene in the car is a touch scary as another reviewer stated (it happens when the 2 bad guys are sitting in their car- if you watch it, look out at that point for a horribly disfigured version of Penelope) but throughout the entire movie I kept saying to my family "does she really look that bad to you?" as people ran away from her screaming. Ricci is too adorable, and even a pig nose can't hide that. We also discussed the fact that she shouldn't want to marry a guy that doesn't like her for who she really is.
- I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it
Good message-- a bit dark for young kids
My 9 yrd old daughter and I had high hopes for this movie. The message is wonderful, but one that is defenitly meant for older kids. Suprisingly, there are many "drinking and smoking" scenes...Also, the mother's inability to accept her daughter's choices might be a difficult idea for young children to grasp. At one point in the movie, a character has a flashback of his impression of Penelope that is just frightening. While an adult might understand the point being made, a child might not. I am a strong believer that movie ratings have to be re-designed, just as tv shows have done. This is an example of amovie that needs a stronger rating....while the themes of the movie, (finding your self/accepting ones circumstances but have enough self confidence) are very important to all girls these days, I am not sure that such drinking scenes were at all necessary to make the point. The movie's "look" was pretty dark, I wondered for a moment if Burton had directed...
- I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
Warning
I had such high hopes for this movie. It looked so sweet in the trailors and looked to have a good message. I can not give a full review as my 8 year old daughter and I did not make it very far. She was so scared by a couple of scenes that we had to turn the movie off. I have to admit she is a bit more timid than some other kids might be. However, due to the dark 'feeling' of the movie, the witch at the beginning and the very, very startling scene where one of the characters imagines a horrifying version of penelope that very suddenly appears in the window of a car, we simply couldn't continue. She was in tears for quite a while. I have NO IDEA why that scene was necessary. I also feel that the trailors were very misleading.
- I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it
- I rate this title iffy for age 8 and give it
Be aware
We really enjoyed this movie except for one part. When one of the main characters (Simon Woods) is remembering what Penelope looked like he has a "flashback". In the window of the van, he "sees" her and in his imagination, she has fangs and the scene is very startling. My 7 year old enjoyed the movie except for that one part. I was disappointed that had to be included. The movie would have been great without it.
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
Great Story!
A fresh original movie that has a goo story plot and surprising ending. I reccomend for ages 6 +. I love Penelope!
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
Piggy is awesome
This is a awesome movie you should see it.
- I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
Great message for teens.
The theme and its messages are not new if you're familiar with The Ugly Duckling (it's who you are on the INSIDE that counts) or The Wizard of OZ ("what I was looking for was right here in my own backyard all along.") But they are messages worth a fresh approach and this film does the trick with it's good acting by current stars and an entertaining fable-esque storyline. Christine Ricci and James McAvoy are perfect as the snouted girl and the snout-blind guy. Take the kids and talk about it after.
- I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
Loved it :)
Kids movies were in short supply today so my 7 year old and I checked out Penelope. We both loved it! It was a great opener for a constructive discussion between my daughter and I about what is really important about people and that liking yourself as you are is the best gift you can give yourself. I do think they could have left out the scene where Penelope finds out about beer on tap, however mild they made it to be. The rating is showing appropriate for ages 10 and up, but I felt that the issues were very relevent for younger kids. You just have to know your child's maturity level. If you feel that he/she can see that people are in error in treating someone who is phyisically different badly and understand the resolution of self acceptance at the end of the film, then by all means see it with your child.
- I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
Learning to like your self
This is the perfect movie to teach self esteem. Parents should teach their children about not judging people by the way they look. That it is important to look for the goodness in one heart. To accept ones self based on his or her abilities and not what some one else expects from them. Penelope is about a grown woman with a pure heart and she learns to love the person she is.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 50% | of parents say there are good role models |
| 50% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
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