Over the Hedge
By Cynthia Fuchs,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Cute animated tale with some mild scares, cartoon violence.

A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Over the Hedge
Community Reviews
Based on 29 parent reviews
Great Comic Movie!
Report this review
Over The Hedge Movie Review By Logan Strohl
Report this review
What's the Story?
This animated animal adventure gets rolling when RJ the raccoon (voiced by Bruce Willis) steals a little red wagon full of treats from a hibernating bear, Vincent (Nick Nolte). Awakened and annoyed, the bear threatens to kill RJ unless he replaces all the missing items (they're smooshed in a traffic accident). RJ hatches a plan to steal convenience foods from recently installed suburban dwellers. While Hammy the squirrel (Steve Carell), shy skunk Stella (Wanda Sykes), and Ozzie, a possum (William Shatner), are easily won over by RJ's scheme, timid tortoise Verne (Garry Shandling) frets that RJ is not to be trusted. But the raccoon is shrewd, and the scenario he lays out -- all food, all the time -- is mighty tempting. So it's not long before everyone scampering into the well-appointed abode of Homeowners' Association President Gladys (Allison Janney). In this new world, "the grass is greener," and the acorn-munching kids discover the great tastes they've been missing: cheese dust, pizza, donuts, and Girl Scout cookies. The animals are not prepared for the humans' ferocious desire to protect their stuff, however, and soon the dastardly exterminator (Thomas Haden Church) arrives, armed with traps and weapons.
Is It Any Good?
Cute and zippy, OVER THE HEDGE offers animal shenanigans, an amusing social critique, songs by Ben Folds, and cartoony explosions galore. It's good fun for everyone!
Plainly inspired by the brilliant Chuck Jones, the movie gets in easy digs at the burbs, a nifty homage to Pepe Le Pew (via Stella's faux-seduction of a Persian "guard cat" [Omid Djalili]), and yet another chance for Willis to make good fun of himself.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the film's satire of life in the suburbs. They could also talk about the lesson RJ and his friends learn: that supporting each other as a family is more important than their individual desires. They could also use the film and its soundtrack to talk to kids about the greater impact of our actions.
Movie Details
- In theaters: May 19, 2006
- On DVD or streaming: October 17, 2006
- Cast: Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, William Shatner
- Directors: Karey Kirkpatrick, Tim Johnson
- Studio: DreamWorks
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Wild Animals
- Run time: 96 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: for some rude humor and mild comic action.
- Last updated: March 29, 2023
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.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
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