Common Sense Media Review
Crude but imaginative adventure is flush with fun.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Flushed Away
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 11 parent reviews
Based on 31 kid reviews
Kids say this film is a mix of slapstick humor and captivating animation set in a quirky sewer world, appealing to both younger audiences and families, though some find its humor too crude or the plot lacking. While many praise its delightful characters and entertaining story, a significant number of reviews express disdain for its content, deeming it inappropriate or unfunny for kids.
- funny moments
- animation quality
- mixed reviews
- suitable for families
- inappropriate content
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
FLUSHED AWAY tells the story of a snobby rat named Roddy (voiced by Hugh Jackman) who's living a cushy life in a London flat. His fancy cage is decked out with all of life's necessities, and when the flat's human residents are away, Roddy and his servant-rats live high on the hog. Sid (Shane Richie) is the exact opposite of Roddy. He's a low-life sewer rat who ends up in Roddy's flat by way of the faucet. Once he gets a taste of luxury, he's not too keen about going back to the sewer. One thing leads to another, and before you know it, Roddy's headed to the town of Ratropolis (the sewers), and Sid is kicking back in the penthouse with a big-screen TV and remote control. Below the city, Roddy finds a colorful world teeming with assorted creatures, including Rita (Kate Winslet), an entrepreneurial rat who squeaks out a living in the sewers with her trawler. All Roddy wants is to get back home, but first he and Rita have to contend with the malicious Toad (Ian McKellen). Toad hates rodents and decides to "flush out" the sewers, dispatching hench-rats Spike and Whitey (Andy Serkis and Bill Nighy) to do the job. When they fail, Toad calls in his cousin, the villainous Le Frog (Jean Reno), who's like a rodent version of Jabba the Hutt.
Is It Any Good?
If you can get past Flushed Away's crude humor, it has an imaginative storyline and amusing characters. Particularly appealing are the funny little slugs who are easily frightened (they're classic Aardman Animations characters -- the folks behind Wallace and Gromit and Creature Comforts). There's also a message: It's a big world out there, if you're willing to venture out of your comfort zone and experience it.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether Sid should have flushed Roddy down the toilet. Was that the right thing to do? Was there an alternative solution? How did Roddy make the best of the situation once he was in Ratropolis? Was Rita right when she tried to abandon Roddy when he needed her most? Is a large piece of jewelry worth fighting over?
Movie Details
- In theaters : November 2, 2006
- On DVD or streaming : February 20, 2007
- Cast : Hugh Jackman , Ian McKellen , Kate Winslet
- Director : David Bowers
- Inclusion Information : Gay Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : DreamWorks Animation
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Adventures
- Run time : 86 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : crude humor and some language.
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate