A Fairly Odd Christmas

Name: A Fairly Odd Christmas
Item: A Fairly Odd Christmas
Rating: 3
Author: Emily Ashby

Movie review by

Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media

A Fairly Odd Christmas Movie Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 7+

(i)

Series-inspired TV movie is worry-free holiday fun for kids.

G
2013
107 minutes

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age 6+

Based on 1 review

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The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

Educational Value

The movie is intended to entertain, not educate.

Positive Messages

Timmy learns that his actions, though well-intentioned, have serious consequences for Santa and for the season of Christmas. He goes to great lengths to right the wrongs he's caused, and his selflessness saves the day for everyone. (By contrast, Mr. Crocker is motivated by greed and finds his situation unchanged as a result.) Supporting characters are able to see past long-held animosity by talking about their feelings and reaching a truce.

Positive Role Models & Representations

Timmy and his friends step up to save Christmas, but they put themselves in worrisome situations along the way. In so doing, they also reveal a grumpy character's nicer side and team up with him to make things right.

Violence & Scariness

Timmy and his friends face some precarious situations on their North Pole adventures. Timmy falls down a ravine, the group tumbles down the side of a snowy mountain, and a resident penguin repeatedly slaps an elf. Mr. Crocker takes a bite out of a gingerbread man who later teams up with his friends to seek revenge.

Sexy Stuff

Timmy and Tootie share one kiss.

Language

"Butt" is as strong as it gets. Some potty humor, including a character's persistent halitosis and a couple of references to poop.

Consumerism

This holiday movie is linked to an animated series and a previous live-action movie starring the same cast.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that A Fairly Odd Christmas is a live-action/CG movie inspired by a popular Nickelodeon cartoon and a previous TV movie. The story has some worthwhile messages about taking responsibility for your actions and cleaning up your own messes. Expect some mild peril amid the action and a touch of potty humor (a man's bad breath is shown in green clouds, and there's talk of poop), but also all-around happy outcomes, including one for two groups who talk out their feelings to end their bickering.

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Kid, 10 years old February 15, 2014

age 6+

Great movie, Drake Bell is a good actor.

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What's the story?

A FAIRLY ODD CHRISTMAS opens with Timmy Turner (Drake Bell) circling the globe in his flying van, granting kids' wishes with the help of his fairy godparents and his best friend, Tootie (Daniella Monet). But with the Christmas countdown on, Timmy's actions unwittingly cast doubt on kids' faith in Santa, sending the holiday preparations at the North Pole into chaos and putting Timmy's name on Santa's naughty list. The group travels north to try to smooth things over with the man in red, but Cosmo (voiced by Daran Norris) and Wanda's (Susanne Blakeslee) magic misfires and puts Santa out of commission, further threatening the holiday. Timmy, Tootie, and the fairies set off on a mission to save Christmas before it's too late, trailed by Mr. Crocker (David Lewis), who's looking to clear his name from the naughty list, too.

Is it any good?

A Fairly Odd Christmas is a palatable holiday story that plays well to its greatest strengths -- talented lead actors and a seamless blending of live-action and CGI. It's amazing how natural the fairies' presence feels among the rest of the cast, and this aspect of the movie will appeal to kids' vivid imagination. Bell and Monet are the story's shining stars, followed closely by Lewis, who so masters the ludicrous villain's character that he accounts for a lot of the laughs. The story itself is neither noteworthy nor unique, but the cast's talents and the characters' wacky predicaments are enough to carry kids' attention to the end.

Part of Timmy's appeal has always been his mishap-prone attempts at growing up, which are often complicated by his zany fairy godparents and the ill effects of the wishes they grant. While he's markedly more mature in this movie than he has been in the past, he's still learning what it takes to be a grown-up, and he gets a big lesson in the consequences of his actions when they threaten the success of Christmas itself. The story might not relate directly to kids' experiences, but the movie's theme is one that has potential applications to their lives.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about Timmy's intentions. Why did he want to grant kids their wishes? Was it his fault that this led kids to stop believing in Santa? Was his trip to the North Pole just to get his name off the naughty list, or did he feel responsible for the threat to Christmas for other people?
Kids: What did Timmy learn about being a grown-up? What responsibilities do grown-ups have that kids don’t? What are your responsibilities in your family?
Were you familiar with these characters before you saw this movie? Are you compelled to watch the TV show or the previous movie now that you've watched this one?