Common Sense Media Review
By Renee Schonfeld
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fantastical tale has wacky characters, music, cartoon peril.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Animal Crackers
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 13 parent reviews
Parents say this movie is highly inappropriate for children due to its excessive sexualization, crude humor, and racial insensitivity, with many reviews expressing regret for showing it to their kids. While a few found some moments entertaining, the overwhelming sentiment is that it promotes negative behaviors and stereotypes, making it unsuitable for young audiences.
- overly sexualized
- inappropriate for children
- negative portrayals
- crude humor
- poor execution
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 5 kid reviews
What's the Story?
Ownership of a circus with magical animals is at the heart of story in ANIMAL CRACKERS. Decades earlier, the circus was owned by two brothers, Buffalo Bob (voiced by James Arnold Taylor) and Horatio P. Huntington (Ian McKellen), who is still angry and jealous about their breakup over the love of Talia (Tara Strong), the daughter of Esmerelda (Harvey Fierstein), the circus fortune teller. Horatio returns, after fuming for years, looking for the secret of the circus animals' magic. His search leads to a disastrous fire in which Bob and Talia are killed. Horatio's attempts to take the circus back in the face of anger of the performers, led by Chesterfield The Clown (Danny DeVito), are rejected. Bob's nephew Owen (John Krasinksi) and his wife Zoe (Emily Blunt), who are Bob's heirs and have always loved the circus, join the fray and the twisty-turny battle for the big top, with literal "animal crackers" in the main ring, begins in earnest.
Is It Any Good?
An ambitious effort with a stellar cast and quirky characters may just be too much of a good thing; keeping up with the crazy plot and introduction of new faces is a full-time job. John Krasinski alone appears as countless creatures, all of whom at least have bushy blue eyebrows so they're recognizable as "Owen." Working with a low budget and a busy script, certain folks stand out even among such a talented cast list: Raven-Symone and Patrick Warburton are terrific, and Ian McKellan chews the CGI scenery with gusto. The 14-song soundtrack (mostly original) is just okay. Animal Crackers is fun, but don't look away as it all happens fast.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the cartoon action in Animal Crackers. Do you think the fact that the violence is comic makes a difference for kids? How about little kids? How does your family decide when they are ready to see slapstick action? Why is it important to be aware of the impact of media violence on kids?
It took a long time before Owen was able to take a stand against Zoey's dad, Mr. Woodley (voiced by Wallace Shawn). What made him finally find his courage? Why is it important to stand up to bullies? What positive qualities does it take?
If you had a box of magical animal crackers, which animal would you pick? Why? What makes that animal "right" for you? Draw a picture of the animal you chose.
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : July 24, 2020
- Cast : John Krasinski , Emily Blunt , Ian McKellen
- Directors : Tony Bancroft , Scott Christian Sava
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Gay Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Animals ( Wild Animals ) , Arts ( Music and Sing-Along )
- Character Strengths : Perseverance , Teamwork
- Run time : 105 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : rude humor and action
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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