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Parents' Guide to

Slappy and the Stinkers

By Renee Schonfeld, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Potty humor, pratfalls as mischief-makers set sea lion free.

Movie PG 1998 78 minutes
Slappy and the Stinkers Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 9+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Jace N
Jace N Parent of 6-year-old
October 8, 2018
age 5+

Funny

Kids will find it hilarious. Lol dads might cross their legs in sympathy watching some of the many nut shots with audible crunching. Pretty funny stuff with a lot of slapstick. My kids really liked it
Joe M.
Joe M. Parent of 3, 13 and 17-year-old
April 24, 2023
age 15+

Truly BD Wong's WORST performance since Jurassic World!

As a parent who recently watched "Slappy and the Stinkers" with my kids, I was disappointed with the film and found it to be inappropriate for young viewers. The film revolves around a group of mischievous students who constantly disrupt their classroom and set out on a mission to release a sea lion named Slappy from captivity. While the premise sounds harmless enough, the execution is filled with crude humor, inappropriate language, and disrespectful behavior towards authority figures. The students are portrayed as disrespectful troublemakers who are rewarded for their bad behavior and disobedience. They use foul language, make crude jokes, and show a complete disregard for the rules and the authority figures in their lives. The film also contains some inappropriate sexual references and innuendos, which are not appropriate for children. While some may argue that "Slappy and the Stinkers" is just a harmless kids' movie, I found it to be a poor role model for young viewers. It promotes disrespectful behavior, disobedience, and a lack of regard for authority figures, which are not values that I want my children to learn from a movie. Overall, I would not recommend "Slappy and the Stinkers" for young viewers or families looking for wholesome entertainment. While it may have some nostalgic appeal for those who grew up watching it, as a parent, I found it to be inappropriate and not suitable for children.
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Five best friends -- enthusiastic nonconformists all -- meet Slappy, The Sea Lion, on a field trip. The "Stinkers," as they are called by the private school's disaster-prone headmaster (B.D. Wong) think that Slappy is unhappy in his small aquarium habitat. Remembering Free Willy, the five troublemakers determine that they, too, can make a heroic rescue and return Slappy to the ocean. Unbeknownst to them, however, an evil sea-lion-napper has other plans for the affable mammal. He, too, intends to steal Slappy, train him to do tricks, and then sell him to a circus. The rescuers confront the 'napper and the chase is on.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (1 ):

This is silly, mindless, often crude fun for those who like their humor on the broad side. It's got clueless adults who fall and get banged up a lot, ridiculous pie-in-the-face villains, and oh-so-cutesy kids who grin a lot and utter sassy wisecracks on cue.

Combined with an abundance of fart and poop jokes, it's juvenile humor at best -- a time-waster with a few good laughs and an engaging sea lion.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the difference between make-believe live action, animated action, and real action. Are any of the crashes, falls, hits, in this movie meant to be taken seriously? How can you tell?

  • The Stinkers had no adults that could be counted upon to help them. Does that feel like a real situation? If you need help, who can you count on?

  • Slappy tells the kids that he is happiest in his home at the aquarium. There is controversy about whether or not to keep wild things in captivity for education and/or entertainment. What do you think? How could you find out more about this subject?

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