Common Sense Media Review
By Renee Schonfeld
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fun, engaging holiday film with positive messages.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
It's Christmas Eve, and the Purtle family is off to spend the holiday with their ingenious-inventor Grandfather (Ed Asner) in FROZEN IN TIME. The two youngest Purtle kids -- Eric (wonderfully voiced by Valin Shinyei) and Patty (ditto by Alyssa Swales) -- are up to their usual mischief and can't seem to stop fibbing to their parents as they maneuver to outwit them. But the chaos they cause is minor until the moment they disobey the family's No. 1 rule: "Never go into Grandpa's workshop." One misstep and a collision with a very old clock send the kids into a time warp: They're doomed to live Christmas Eve over and over again! First efforts to make some "corrections" in the day are disastrous, and no matter how hard they try, nothing seems to help them start that clock again. It isn't until Eric and Patty begin to take responsibility for their behavior that there's a glimmer of hope; maybe they'll get to wake up on Christmas morning after all.
Is It Any Good?
There's more than one level of humor in this clever, imaginative offering. Little kids will like the characters, the playful mischief, and kooky inventions. Older kids and grown-ups will appreciate all that, as well as the winning combination of the familiar eccentric inventor and the popular time-loop story. Alex Leung and his collaborators were smart to keep the tale at a sprightly 46 minutes; any longer and it might have become repetitive. Good performances all around; colorful, bright, original animation; and lessons about honesty, listening to grown-ups, and the importance of family likely will inspire repeat viewings of this entertaining movie.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about and look up the terms "time warp" and "time loop." Why is it enjoyable to watch or imagine someone repeating a day over and over again?
Big brother Brody is always "wired in" to an electronic device and misses some of the fun of Christmas. How do you determine when you're spending too much time on the phone, on the Internet, and in the virtual world? Do you think it's a good idea to have limits set for you, or do you think you should be allowed to set limits for yourself?
If you could pick one day as a do-over for yourself, what day would it be?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : November 11, 2014
- Cast : Ed Asner , Mira Sorvino , Drake Bell
- Director : Alex Leung
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studios : Kickstart Productions , ARC Entertainment
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Holidays
- Run time : 46 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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