Ape Star
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Ape Star
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Ape Star is a gently-paced, low-key animated fantasy from Sweden about an unlikely adoption. There's no real content of concern for preschoolers, but the subplot about the villain, his motives, and actions may be hard for them to understand. There's some brief sadness from kids in an orphanage, especially one who doesn't remember her mother, and some sadness and suspense from separation, but grief and loss aren't prominent themes and everything ends safely. There's a brief and mild scuffle between adults that shows hitting, shoving, and pinning to the ground, and a man gets hit in the back with a picket sign. In one scene adults drink what could be beer but whatever it is, it's not mentioned specifically. In a restaurant, all adult diners have wine glasses on their tables. The main character models courage, empathy, and perseverance and Gorilla is a great model of compassion and teamwork.
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What's the Story?
APE STAR tells the story of 8-year-old Jonna (Rebecca Gerstmann), who's lived in a quiet country orphanage all her life. One day a very large gorilla (Pernilla August) arrives at the orphanage, driving a car, but not making a sound. All the other kids run away, afraid of the gorilla, but Jonna is drawn to her even though she's kind of scared, too. Gorilla adopts Jonna and takes her back to her nearby home in the junkyard, where she makes a living selling the things she finds there. It's a rustic but cozy home, and gradually Jonna learns to love it and her strange but gentle new mother. When an influential member of the town council (Stellan Skarsgard) decides the junkyard is the perfect place to build a fancy, new community swimming pool, Jonna and Gorilla's future life together is anything but certain.
Is It Any Good?
This animated story from Sweden about an unusual adoption is gently paced, quiet, and quirky. There's not much content of concern in Ape Star, but a couple of subplots may make it harder for preschoolers to follow. The colors used are gorgeous, and the characters and background have a lot of charm. But some viewers may not be able to get past how it almost looks like Gorilla has four eyes, for example. Or the many times the dialog isn't in sync with mouth movements. This could be because it was originally recorded in Swedish, and if it was that might also explain why some of the dialog in English is awkward and stilted, too. Early-grade viewers may not be bothered by these flaws, and those who like gentle, warmhearted stories will enjoy it as they absorb messages about finding family and home.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about positive role models in The Ape Star. Is Jonna a good role model? What about Gorilla? What did you like about them? Who was your favorite character?
Stories about people who were raised by animals have been around for a very long time. Have you read or seen any others? Which one was your favorite?
Were you adopted, or do you know someone who was? What's it really like, or what do you think it might be like?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: August 24, 2021
- Cast: Stellan Skarsgard, Pernilla August, Rebecca Gerstmann
- Director: Linda Hamback
- Studio: Viva Pictures
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Great Girl Role Models
- Character Strengths: Compassion, Courage, Perseverance, Teamwork
- Run time: 75 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: Mild thematic elements.
- Last updated: March 31, 2022
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