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Parents' Guide to

Out

By Jennifer Green, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Short Pixar film has silly humor, messages of acceptance.

Movie PG 2020 9 minutes
Out Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • Out Movie: Scene 1
  • Out Movie: Scene 2
  • Out Movie: Scene 3

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age 8+

Based on 4 parent reviews

Abelladonna
Abelladonna Adult
February 9, 2022
age 2+

Confidence

Gives a great message to be honest with your parents because they love you and want what is best for you. Accept and love yourself. Also very bright and colorful and magical!

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
ClaireRobson
ClaireRobson Parent of 7 and 9-year-old
February 22, 2021
age 6+

Gentle and fun opportunity to discuss intolerance and gender roles

Out is a wonderfully gentle and funny tale about a man who is finally able to come out to his parents thanks to a mishap with his playful dog. The story is fun, the script very sweet, and the animation is gorgeous, and hysterical. I reccommend for all families. My seven year old couldn't understand why the main character would hide his sexuality. We talked about some of the challenges faced by gay people, particular gay men. The hyper masculinity of the father gave us an opportunity to talk about gender expectations. I appreciate this wonderful way to open the door for important conversations.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Greg (voiced by Kyle McDaniel) is in a loving relationship with his boyfriend Manuel (Caleb Cabrera), but he isn't yet OUT because he hasn't told his parents he's gay. When his parents drop in for a surprise visit, Greg pushes Manuel out the back door. Then, in a magical turn of events, Greg and his dog Jim swap bodies. Now Greg, in the dog's body, must do everything he can to distract his parents from discovering his secret. Meanwhile, the dog, in Greg's body, wreaks havoc in the house and yard. Will these comic shenanigans end with Greg revealing his secret? Will his parents accept Manuel into their family?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (11 ):

Featuring Pixar's first gay main character, this short film packs lots of humor, action, affirmation, and love into its nine-minute running time. Out announces that it's "Based on a True Story," and -- if you ignore the subplot of a human and dog swapping bodies -- the story of a gay person who's scared to "come out" to their parents certainly echoes lots of true stories. It offers an ideal/tidy ending, in which (spoiler alert) Greg's mom knew all along and his dad welcomes Manuel with a bear hug, but Out is neither preachy nor trite. Written and directed by Steven Clay Hunter, whose previous credits include Toy Story 4, WALL-E , and Finding Nemo, among others, Out is the type of quality film viewers have come to expect from Pixar.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about secrets. Have you ever kept a secret from your parents or family, like the main character in Out? How did it make you feel?

  • How would you describe the movie's message? Why is it such an important one?

  • If you could swap bodies with any person or animal, who would it be and why?

  • Could you imagine this story lasting more than 9 minutes? What else do you think could happen to these characters in a longer movie?

  • Did the animation in Out remind you of any other films you've watched? If so, which ones?

Movie Details

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 suggesting a diversity update.

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