Home Movies

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Witty animated show about young filmmaker is best for teens.
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

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that although this series about a boy who likes to make movies with his best friends is animated, it often explores relatively mature topics about families, marriage, and divorce. There’s not too much in the way of swearing, sex, or violence, but the jokes and themes might not be very entertaining for young viewers. The main character, Brendon, lives with his single mom, while his friend Jason seems to have little contact with his parents. The kids themselves must often bend a few rules in order to plan and shoot the scenes for their movies.

  • The series portrays Brendon’s filmmaking efforts as worthy and artistic ventures, requiring creativity, imagination, and focus. That said, it also delves into complex family issues, touching on divorce, absent and neglectful parents, and the complicated relations within blended families.
  • Brendon and his friends are devoted to making movies, and they sometimes neglect their schoolwork to focus on filming. They're also willing to sneak into places to film scenes and break rules in pursuit of getting the shot. Their parents run the gamut from very involved and supportive to completely absent.
  • Moderate cartoon antics that fall short of actual fighting.
  • Not applicable.
  • Characters call each other “stupid” and say “shut up" and "ass." Some references to bodily functions, as characters sometimes “gotta pee” or throw up.
  • Some episodes have references to well-known movies.
  • One of the adult characters has a drinking problem.

What's the story?

Brendon (voiced by HOME MOVIES creator/writer Brendon Small) is a budding filmmaker at age 8. Along with his best friends Jason (H. Jon Benjamin) and Melissa (Melissa Bardin Galsky), he’s constantly planning his next shoot, talking about dialogue, or filming a scene. This clever animated series shows the lengths that a persistent young artist is willing to go to pursue his craft, even if it sometimes means ignoring homework or bending a few rules to gain access to just the right location for a key sequence.


Is it any good?

 

While Home Movies (which originally aired from 1999-2004) is about three young kids, the show's jokes and situations are clearly aimed at an older audience. When the series isn't focused on Brendon’s films, it also touches on family relationships. Brendon lives with his single mom and adopted sister and sometimes interacts with his dad and stepmother. Jason and Melissa also seem to have vaguely dysfunctional relationships with their parents (although, really, who doesn’t?).

In this series, the kids have to deal with many of the same issues as real-world kids -- including divorce, under-employed parents, and watching their single parents negotiate the dating world. Brendon’s entertaining films offer the trio an entertaining and creative escape and sometimes seem like a metaphor for needing to escape.


Explore, discuss, enjoy

  • Families can talk about divorce. What do you think about the way Brendon’s single mom is portrayed? What about his dad and step-mother? Does this seem like an accurate look at divorce? If your parents are divorced, or if you have friends whose parents are divorced, does this show get it right?

  • What do you think about Brendon’s devotion to making movies? Is he showing an early interest in the craft, or is he a bit too focused on his hobby?


This review of Home Movies was written by
Kid, 8 years old
June 16, 2011
 
Theme Song and Brendon Lost
the music is awsome for kids.Brendon lost his camrea because he didnt do good on his tes from the History episode
What other families should know:

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Kid, 11 years old
October 20, 2010
 
Huh? These ratings confuse me
Wow, are they serious? Tv-14? It's like, no worse than the simpsons.

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Parent of 13 year old
August 12, 2010
 
show is rated TV-PG,not TV-14
decent
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Parent of 4, 5, and 7 year old
July 1, 2010
 
My daughter watches this show and i have no problem with it.
My daughter watches this show and i have no problem with it. There are very few consens for me the do use words like ass but that is the only cuss word i have heard. I have not heard of any sexuality at all in this show. That is very hard to find and it is a nice show.
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Teen, 17 years old
May 1, 2010
 
Witty, Clever, and Yet, Highly Underrated
Home Movies is a dialog-driven animated program that aired on Adult Swim. Coach McGuirk, (If that you spell it) is drunk, lazy, and neglectful, but, is quite humorous, and won't leave much of an impression on little kids. All of the humor is quick and subtle, but, extremely clever. It will amuse most teens, and make adults snicker. This underrated program most certainly deserves the four stars I give it.
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Kid, 10 years old
March 25, 2010
 
Home Movies
Okay... I think this is ok for 9 and up I've heard the curses but i think the strongest words are beeped.
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Teen, 14 years old
January 25, 2011
 
My name is Brendan Petty. The main character and creator of the show is named Brendon Small. I find that funny all on it's own. The show is my dad's fav.

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Parent
September 30, 2011
 
Program rated correctly.
Program does properly deserve TV-PG rating. Thank you, Cartoon Network, for this.

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Kid, 9 years old
August 27, 2011
 
Real funny show!
Really good show but they deal with some pretty serious issues. Brendon is a good role model
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Kid, 12 years old
August 20, 2011
 
I watch it every chance I get!
I like this show. It's witty and funny yet mature. Makes the least use of the Adult Swim censor bleep. Later seasons are more mature than the first.
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This review of Home Movies was written by
This review of Home Movies was written by
 

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