Common Sense Media Review
By Tracy Moore
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Clever Halloween tale has fun with science, stereotypes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
Andy (Drake Bell) is a good kid who "accidentally explodes a lot of things." He needs a new project for the upcoming science fair but is having trouble making any experiments work. His father signs him up for football, and his mother (Brooke Shields) encourages him to pursue both interests. When he asks his neighbor, the brilliant, reclusive Dr. Frankenstein (Jon Heder) to help, he finds the doctor's creation, a monster named Frank, a teenager he finds he has a lot in common with. They devise a plan: Frank takes his spot on the team, and Andy gets to use the lab. Unfortunately, Andy's project turns out to be too scary for its own good, and now he must save the town from his own invention: a giant monster!
Is It Any Good?
MONSTEROUS HOLIDAY pulls off some really smart tensions -- between brains and brawn, between lonerism and community, between isolation and teamwork. It works out notions of differentness and fitting in, and, instead of having the characters resort to typical cliquishness, the book finds a way to bring seemingly disparate groups together toward common ground. It does this against a backdrop of spooky Frankenstein Halloween spirit that's gooey, pro-science, and self-aware.
Kids who love science, creepy crawlies, and Halloween will have a blast with this film, and parents can appreciate so many smart lessons layered in without fanfare.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about safety with science. What are some rules for conducting science experiments safely?
Andy struggles between fitting in with his football-loving father and getting better at his favorite subject, science. Have you ever felt torn between activities? How did you choose?
The movie plays around with the idea of being smart versus being physically fit. Can you be only one or the other? Is it possible to work on your brain and your body? Which do you like doing more, and why?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : October 15, 2013
- Cast : Brooke Shields , Jon Heder , Sean Astin
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : ARC Entertainment
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Adventures , Animals , Family Stories , Fantasy ( Fairy Tales , Magic , Monsters ) , Friendship , Holidays ( Christmas , Winter Break ) , Travel
- Run time : 44 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 12, 2025
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