Common Sense Media Review
By Betsy Bozdech
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Poignant South African drama about death, fear, friendship.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
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Meerkat Moonship
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In MEERKAT MOONSHIP (originally released under the title Meerkat Maantuig in South Africa), young Gideonette De La Ray (Anchen du Plessis) has lived her whole life under the shadow of her family's supposed curse: Every previous Gideon De La Ray has died young. Her preoccupation with the curse only grows stronger when her reverend father (Drikus Volschenk), also a Gideon, abruptly passes away, leaving her mother (Hanlé Barnard) severely depressed and Gideonette herself seeing potential death at every turn. She even starts wearing a helmet to protect herself against head injuries. To give her a change of scenery, Gideonette's mother takes her to stay with her maternal grandparents (Rika Sennett and Pierre van Pletzen) out in the countryside. Slowly, Gideonette emerges from under her fears -- thanks in no small part to her new friend Bhubesi (Themba Ntuli), a young deaf boy who dreams of being an astronaut and is working with Gideonette's grandfather to build a giant spaceship. But when tragedy strikes again, will Gideonette be able to maintain her new outlook on life?
Is It Any Good?
This poignant, sometimes melancholy South African drama doesn't shy away from tackling some of kids' biggest fears -- particularly death. Meerkat Moonship doesn't sugarcoat its story, though it does balance the sad parts with enough smile-inducing, whimsical moments to avoid getting completely stuck in the darker elements. But it's in taking Gideonette's fears as seriously as it does that the film really succeeds. Neither the adults in her life nor the film itself ever condescend to her; she's able to express how she's feeling, and she's given lots of time and space to heal.
Du Plessis turns in a strong performance as the grieving girl -- she may be watchful and often silent on the outside, but her internal monologue is going a mile a minute. The cast in general is strong; Ntuli's turn as Bhubesi is completely endearing, and his scenes of blossoming friendship with Gideonette are some of the movie's sweetest. They may seem like an unlikely pair, but each helps the other in important ways, and the strength of their connection underlines the movie's message of unconditional friendship. It's not always easy to watch, but Meerkat Moonship has important take-aways for kids and could be a great pick for tweens dealing with their own losses.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Meerkat Moonship's messages. What is it saying about fear and courage? Have you ever let fear stop you from doing something you wanted to do? What happened?
Which characters are role models? Why? Which character strengths do they exhibit?
How does the movie handle death? Were you sad when the characters died? How do you think you'd have reacted in Gideonette's position?
What makes for a strong friendship? How do Bhubesi and Gideonette become such good friends even though they can't talk to each other?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : March 16, 2018
- Cast : Anchen du Plessis , Rika Sennett , Pierre van Pletzen
- Director : Hanneke Schutte
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : The Film Factory
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Friendship
- Character Strengths : Courage
- Run time : 96 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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