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Mail Order Monster
By Renee Longstreet,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Drama about tween's grief has bullying, violence.
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Mail Order Monster
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Based on 1 parent review
Slow but worth a look
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What's the Story?
In MAIL ORDER MONSTER, Sam Pepper (Madison Horcher) is a smart 12-year-old girl still trying to cope with the accidental death of her mom three years earlier. To make matters worse, she's bullied at school, and her devoted dad, Roy (Josh Hopkins), has fallen in love with Sydney (Charisma Carpenter), the woman who may become her stepmother! In a last-ditch effort to cope with her sadness and isolation, Sam sends for a mail-order robot advertised in a vintage comic book. As she assembles and gets to know the strange, Frankenstein-like creature, it appears that Sam finally has a friend. But it's difficult keeping him a secret -- especially because he walks and talks. As their relationship builds, Sam begins to find her courage. She takes the necessary first steps to stop the bullying. However, when Roy tells his daughter that he's asked Sydney to marry him, Sam is devastated once again. She acts out in ways her dad never expected, culminating in a scene in which her cheerful robot turns out to be much more than she bargained for.
Is It Any Good?
A well-intentioned effort to deal with important issues in a fresh way, along with some solid performances, should engage young audiences. Madison Horcher is wonderful as Sam; Josh Hopkins makes a great dad. The robot is purposefully old-school, and there's a certain charm about its shuffling, awkward style. Writer-director Paulina Lagudi delivers a warmhearted tale, but it's long, and lots of simple questions arise that go unanswered. For example, wouldn't Roy challenge Sam's late-night arrival home from school detention? Also, there's magic afoot here, but opportunities missed, like the mystery of how an ad in a vintage comic book could be answered. Still, Mail Order Monster's virtues make up for its imperfections, and it's worth a look.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Mail Order Monster. Were you surprised by the robot's behavior in the final scenes of the movie? Did you like the unexpected turn in that character? Why or why not? Did the sequence fit in with the basic tone and style of the story? Why or why not?
Bullying is a big problem for kids. P.J. was very cruel to Sam. Did you agree with Sam's chosen method of "payback"? What did P.J. learn? Do you think Sam was right to forgive her? How do you and/or your friends deal with bullies?
Big changes are often hard for kids. Sam says about her dad: "I don't know why he's trying to move on." Can you answer that question for her? What significant changes have you had to make in your life? How does the passage of time affect difficult transitions?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: November 6, 2018
- Cast: Madison Horcher , Josh Hopkins , Charisma Carpenter
- Director: Paulina Lagudi
- Studio: Film Mode Entertainment
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Friendship , Middle School , Robots
- Run time: 89 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: June 20, 2023
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