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Parents' Guide to

Despicable Me 2

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

More minions and romance make for a sweet, silly sequel.

Movie PG 2013 98 minutes
Despicable Me 2 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 7+

Based on 52 parent reviews

age 7+

Despicable Me 2 : "Underware" Soundtrack is funny to hear

great movie for the whole family to enjoy Much funnier than the first one, Despicable Me 2 actually has me liking the second installation in a series much better than the original. A lot of sequels add in new characters. Some serve a purpose. Others not so much. This movie adds in new characters that are important. With funnier lines, funnier actions, and tons of minion madness, the movie has us focusing less on Gru's villainy, and more on the love life he never had.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
2 people found this helpful.
age 5+
1 person found this helpful.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (52 ):
Kids say (143 ):

The directors here have made an entertaining (albeit less revolutionary) sequel that's worthy of the hype, particularly when it comes to the minions. The first Despicable Me was such a revelation: A supervillain antihero meeting three adorable orphans seemed like it would be hard to beat in originality. The quirky little yellow minions are irresistibly hilarious, and they steal virtually every scene they're in with their banana-loving, mischief-making shenanigans -- culminating in a laugh-aloud minion cover of the '90s ballad "I Swear" (a lovely bit of nostalgia for parents who grew up in the '80s and '90s). In addition to the fantastically funny minions and the once again wonderfully unique score by Pharrell Williams and Heitor Pereira, the plot is simple but sweet. Wiig's Lucy and Carell's Gru share a bantering chemistry that's definitely not the "damsel in distress meets her prince" dynamic of so many other animated romances.

Ultimately, the Despicable Me movies are about family, and that's what makes them so easy to love. Gru is now a father first, spy/retired supervillain second. His girls are his everything, and when Margo's heart is broken by Antonio (the ultimate cool tween, with his floppy hair and leather jacket), or when Agnes (who rivals Monsters, Inc.'s Boo as the cutest animated child ever) can't recite a poem about motherhood, he's there with a kind word and an encouraging hug. Forget Daddy Warbucks -- Gru is the best bald adoptive dad in popular culture! Even the scenes of mild peril will obviously end up all right, because audiences know that a super dad will do anything for his kids.

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