Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Monster tale with gross-out humor, very strong language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Fungus the Bogeyman
What's the Story?
Based on the cult graphic novel by British writer and illustrator Raymond Briggs (which also inspired two Paul McCartney songs, Bogey Music and Bogey Wobble), FUNGUS THE BOGEYMAN is about a family of monsters, known as "bogeys," who venture into the world of humans, known as "drycleaners." The bogeys believe they have a "social contract" with the humans -- bogeys provide the "bumps in the night" humans fear (because humans crave fear), and humans in turn provide the bogey underworld with seepage from their landfills. But when bogey teenager Mould (Haydon Downing), curious about the world outside, sneaks out, his parents Fungus (Timothy Spall) and Mildew (Joanna Scanlan) must leave their deliriously-filthy underworld and temporarily mutate into human form. Here they befriend their human neighbors, try to adapt to the sanitary world outside, and face unanticipated dangers from an inventor with a secret past (Victoria Wood).
Is It Any Good?
If your tween finds farting and burping endlessly funny, look no further for your next family night film. Fungus the Bogeyman has both in spades, as well as plenty of gross-out humor involving underworld, Shrek-like monsters (called bogeys) who slather themselves in filth, vomit on each other, and enjoy smelling each other's most odorous body parts and functions. Word play ("my drear," "I stink therefore I am") and solid animation also offer some hooks. Fortunately for the adults in the room, who will tire of bogey humor faster than you can say "jockstrap," the hideous monsters must at least temporarily try to improve their health and hygiene standards when they enter the human world.
And, not to be species-centric, but the film gains in nuance and depth in the human world, set in England. The neighbors (played by Marc Warren, Keeley Hawes, and Fern Deacon) are a middle-class family struggling to make ends meet with the kind-hearted husband unemployed. Their teen daughter has a crush on the local cool kid and is perpetually embarrassed by her parents, not unlike the bogey teen Mould, who feels he doesn't fit in underground. He's "dry-curious," a term latent with double meaning, who is interested in exploring the human ("drycleaners") world. Ultimately, the underlying sweetness of the main characters and the affable resolution of teen angst make Fungus watchable for tweens and adults alike.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how authentic the monsters are in Fungus the Bogeyman. Do they remind you of any creatures you've seen in other movies?
Could you relate to Mould's desire to learn about the world outside his family home? Did he seem like a normal teenager, even in bogey form?
In what ways are the human world and the bogey world different and alike? How are they reliant on each other?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : December 27, 2015
- Cast : Timothy Spall , Joanna Scanlan , Keeley Hawes , Marc Warren
- Director : Catherine Morshead
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Imaginarium Productions
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- Run time : 82 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 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