Teacher's Pet

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Fast, fresh, funny and entertaining for all.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie has a little bit of potty humor and some comic peril and violence. One of the characters has an eye that keeps popping out.


What's the story?

In this feature length film based on Disney's animated TV series, Spot (voice of Nathan Lane) is a highly intelligent and articulate dog who dreams of becoming a boy. But then he wakes up. All he can do is pretend to be a boy, disguising himself as "Scott" and going to school with Leonard, the boy he lives with. Leonard and his mother go to Florida so she can participate in a teacher of the year competition, and Spot follows them after he sees a television interview with Dr. Krank (voice of Kelsey Grammar), who says he can change animals into humans. So far, his experiments on swamp creatures have produced some bizarre mutants. But Spot helps Krank make some adjustments and gets turned into a human. Unfortunately, since they forgot to figure in the effect of dog years, Spot becomes not a boy but a middle-aged man "with hairy knuckles and lower back pain." After many complications and adventures, a lot of sly humor, and several deliciously witty songs, everything is happily resolved.


Is it any good?

 

Kids will enjoy the wild characters, silly plot turns, bright colors, and vivid images of TEACHER'S PET. The animation style is distinctive and unusual. While it is apparently simple, even childlike, with basic shapes and bold colors, it is actually quite sophisticated, designed by award-winning artist Gary Baseman.

Older kids and parents will appreciate the wisecracks and the self-aware pop culture references from the Jetsons to Disney movies, and everyone will enjoy the music. While most movies directed at the youngest children have almost interchangeable soundtracks filled with watered-down rock and hip-hop or syrupy jingles, Teacher's Pet has first-rate Broadway quality songs, beautifully sung by Tony-winner Lane and an able supporting cast of voice talents. Witty (and vocabulary-building) lyrics rhyme "defiance" with "science," "appliance," and "giants" and "foe" with "status quo." One song hilariously lists all of the states and another reminds us that even the small among us can be mighty.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about how we can help each other even when we have different dreams.


This review was written by Nell Minow
Parent of 7 and 8 year old
March 26, 2009
 
I watched this with my 4 1/2 and 5 1/2 year olds, and thought it was completely innappropriate. Maybe it's just not that "pretty" Disney animation that we're used to....but, I thought the movie was pretty crass, and a little bit scary. My kids didn't like it either - at all! They both thought it was really creepy and scary. Not much to feel good about here.

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Adult
April 15, 2010
 
Those complaining about this movie...
How many of you actually watched the show this was based off of? While this certainly didn't effect the movie's score, I seriously doubt even the "ever so great" people at common sense media ever saw it despite it winning an emmy award. Then again, the show was highly overlooked which is a shame as it also had some great writing to it. I will agree with people on one thing, though: this shouldn't have been given a theatrical release. Most TV show tie-ins tend not to do well in theaters and this for the most part felt like a lengthened episode of the show. The songs do leave something to be desired, but nonetheless, it's a good movie.

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Kid, 13 years old
July 1, 2009
 

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Kid, 13 years old
April 9, 2008
 
Fine
Okay but not so great.

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Kid, 12 years old
March 9, 2010
 
bad language
Lots of profane

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Teen, 14 years old
March 9, 2010
 
bad language
Lots of profane

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Kid, 11 years old
March 9, 2010
 
bad language
Lots of profane

Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 10 years old
March 20, 2011
 
bad
This deserves a 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 If you want to see this rent it do not buy it.

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Kid, 12 years old
May 17, 2011
 
IT IS R.O.F.L QUIRCKY FUNNY, NOT BAD!!!!!

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This review was written by Nell Minow
Topics:magic and fantasy
Studio:Walt Disney Pictures
Director:Timothy Bjorklund
Cast:Kelsey Grammer, Nathan Lane, Paul Reubens
Genre:Family and Kids
Run time:68 minutes
Theatrical release date:January 16, 2004
DVD release date:June 15, 2004
MPAA rating:PG
MPAA explanation:some mildly crude humor

This review was written by Nell Minow
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

 

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