Pooh's Heffalump Movie (G, 2005)

common sense media says

Gentle story of friendship is fine for wee ones.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie has some mild peril that the most sensitive young viewers may find unsettling. One character loses his mom and cannot call loud enough to get her attention. He gets frightened by the main characters, who are trying to capture him. He is later trapped in a cage and when someone tries to save him, he falls into a tree-filled ravine. Otherwise, it contains positive messages about friendship, helping others, and understanding difference.

Educational value: Intends to entertain rather than educate, but kids will pick up positive social messages about caring about others. Kids might be encouraged to read the A.A. Milne books.
Positive messages: Roo, Piglet, Pooh and Tigger face their fears and test their preconceived notions in this adventure. They realize that what they knew about Heffalumps was all wrong: they're not scary monsters, at all. Positive messages about friendship, helping others, and respecting difference.
Positive role models: Moms know best in this movie. Roo says that his mom will know what to do in a conundrum. "She will make everything alright," he says. Lumpy's mom saves Roo when he gets caught in a tangle of felled trees.
Violence & scariness: Some very mild frightening themes: a strange bellowing noise scares the inhabitants of Hundred-Acre Forest. They imagine a monster called the Heffalump to be on the loose. They try to capture it with traps and ropes. Characters get lost, have perilous mishaps and fall from heights, but no one is injured. The monster ends up being a friendly mom looking for her lost son.
Sexy stuff: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

More on Pooh's Heffalump Movie

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about friends. Do you have friends who are different from you? How do you meet new friends? Why is it sometimes hard to make friends?
  • Talk about why you have to wait to be old enough to do certain things. What kinds of things are you looking forward to doing when you get older? What are you NOT looking forward to doing?

What's the story?

What's the story?
This adventure based on A.A. Milne's books focuses on Roo, the spirited kangaroo son of sweet-voiced Kanga. When the citizens of the Hundred Acre Wood decide to capture a heffalump, they tell Roo he is too young to go along on such a scary expedition. But Roo sneaks out to show the others that he is grown-up enough to capture a heffalump on his own. Roo finds a heffalump, but is surprised to find that not only is he not at all scary, but he is just as frightened of Roo and his friends as they are of him. Lumpy the heffalump is just a child, like Roo. They quickly forget all about being scared of each other as they play games and enjoy getting to know one another. But when Roo tries to take his new friend home so that Kanga can help Lumpy find his mother, Rabbit, Pooh, Piglet, and Tigger do not understand. They try to capture Lumpy. But friendship -- and mothers -- come to the rescue.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

Small children will enjoy this gentle story of making friends. Their families will be grateful that POOH'S HEFFALUMP MOVIE is a suitable movie for younger kids and they might enjoy the pretty water-color backgrounds and a couple of funny moments. And if they take advantage of the well-under-90-minute running time for a bit of a snooze, they can be grateful for that, too.

Newcomer Kyle Stanger, who provides the voice of Lumpy the heffalump and was just five when the movie was made, is the highlight of the movie. He gives Lumpy so much personality and charm that every child will want a heffalump playmate of his own. Brenda Blethyn provides the understanding and loving voice of his mother. And be sure to stay for the credits, as the scenes of Lumpy and Roo playing are among the best in the movie.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Frank Nissen
Cast: Brenda Blethyn, Jim Cummings, John Fiedler
Genre: Family and Kids
Run time: 68 minutes
Theatrical release: February 11, 2005
DVD release: May 24, 2005
MPAA Rating: G

This review was written by Nell Minow
 
 

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What parents & educators say

4

Most useful reviews by all members

 
A good first movie
This was a good first movie for my 4 year old daughter. She really enjoyed seeing Pooh and his friends on the big screen. The part when Lumpy and Roo are lost from their mommies was a bit anxiety-provoking for her, and led us to a discussion about staying with mom. The 60 minute length was just perfect. Animation, voices, and soundtrack were enjoyable.

librarian4little1s
parent of 11 year old
 
Engaging, good-natured story featuring old friends and new
I liked just about everything about this movie, and so did my 5-year-old son. It features all the gang from the Hundred Acre Woods that we know and love so well, and introduces some new ones, who are equally lovable. It has a nice message about prejudice and fearing those who appear different from you. The charming Carly Simon music is a treat. Lots of fun and so appropriate for young children: not too long, just a bit over an hour, and absolutely no violence or other objectionable content. Relax and enjoy with your child!

mwulf
adult
 
Not up to Standard
My 4 yearold loves Pooh and has all the other pooh movies but this one didn't hold her interest and I was rather bored myself

 
Too frightening!
I took my 4-year-old daughter to this movie (her first movie) thinking a Pooh movie would be appropriate. But the Heffalump and his mother are separated from each other (similar to the way Dumbo and his mother are separated in that movie) and cannot get back together. My daugher was horrified, and cried and cried. She said, "This is the saddest movie I have ever seen. I want to go home NOW!" Even after she saw the entire movie and the reconciliation between mother and child, she was hardly mollified. She still thinks it is the "worst movie" she has ever seen, and never wants to see another movie like it.

trhodes
adult
 
I thought this was a wonderful movie for my children (almost 2 and 4). Although my 23 month old was a bit restless, my 4 year was glued to the screen the entire time. She wants to go back. For once it was a movie that I could totally relax with and not worry about any scarey situations etc. There was absolutly nothing in this movie that wasn't just kind and heartwarming. We just loved the voice of Lumpy and Carly Simon's music.

cfalkie
adult
 
PHFFFFT!!!
My kids LOVE this movie. My 4 year old finds Lumpy absolutely fascinating, and my 2 year old is trying hard to find her "call." It has some great messages about friendship and prejudice, and the kids will want to watch over and over.

terri33inne
parent of 2 year old
 
A favorite in our house!!
We love, love, love this movie in our house... it was actually the 1st movie I'd let my daughter watch at about 1 year, and now at almost 3 it's still a favorite. It's a very sweet story of friendship, and learning about others who on the outside appear different from us.... There are some very mild moments of peril that may be upsetting. The music & characters are just so endearing!!

nduns
adult
 
The one Pooh movie I wouldn't fully recommend for Pooh fans
As you can tell by the score, I did like this one, but that's just because the Pooh fanboy in me tells me I should. Compared to the other Pooh movies, this one didn't feel quite as good. Pooh's Grand Adventure was great, giving us an epic and heartwarming story. Pooh fans might be turned off by the dark elements added to it, but I'd still recommend it. The Tigger Movie is a lot of fun. May not have had the strongest story, but then again, who expects big epic storylines from Pooh? Piglette's Big Movie... almost lost my interest simply due to it stretching out its story a little too much, despite how weak said story was. However... this one was just okay. It was fun seeing our favorite characters on the big screen and for once, a movie was all about a Heffalump, but that's about it. The story felt the weakest of all Pooh movies and really didn't feel like it was going anywhere. Needless to say, the hour-long time slot was a good thing. Wouldn't give it a full recommendation, but if you want something Pooh-related to rent, go ahead.

BrenJG
adult
 
Wonderful
We saw it twice at the theater and now have the DVD. My 3 yr old son loves it. The music is the best. Just a lovely children's moves. There should be more like this.

riotbrrd
parent of 5 year old
 
so-so
Sappy and the music is bad. But otherwise inoffensive.

ocie14
teen, 14 years old
 
Sad :(
Soo sad. I remember seeing this when I was like 7 and I cried.

celinac
parent of 6 and 8 year old
 
A charming and delightful walk through the Hundred Acres Woods for young children.

 
A sweet movie!
This is the forst movie I took my daughter to see in a theater. She is 4 and she was riveted the entire time. I even rather enjoyed myself. It was a good movie about friendship.

 
i laughed
CUTE! CUTE! CUTE!

 
Okay
My daughter, 2, really enjoyed this movie. Overall, I think it's sweet, I like the characters, and the overall moral tone isn't too heavy handed. On the other hand, I'm not thrilled with the continual lassoing of characters in the movie. Since my daughter saw this, she's been "capturing" things and people with any kind of rope, string, or yarn she can find, looping it right around the neck of her target, like she saw in the movie. Gee, thanks, Disney.

 
My 2 year old liked this

piegus
teen, 16 years old
 
Not so bad, not so good
I remember watching it few years ago and today I was surfing the web and came across it on *kidsmovieland* and watch itt again. I have to say that it made bigger impassion the first time. I'm a big fan of Pooh and think this one is OK, would surly change the music!

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