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Parents' Guide to

Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe

By Jennifer Green, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 5+

Cosmic adventure offers more franchise fun for families.

Movie NR 2020 97 minutes
Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 5+

Based on 10 parent reviews

Not P.
Not P. Adult
April 26, 2023
age 5+
You H.
You H. Adult
April 26, 2023
age 5+
See all 10 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Candace (High School Musical's Ashley Tisdale) is, as always, frustrated by the trouble-free fun her brothers have in PHINEAS AND FERB THE MOVIE: CANDACE AGAINST THE UNIVERSE. When she and her friend Vanessa (Olivia Olson) are rocketed accidentally to an alien planet and Candace is dubbed "The Chosen One," she feels she's finally found a place where she's justly valued. But, of course, all is not as it seems. Thankfully, her inventive brothers, Phineas (Vincent Martella) and Ferb (David Errigo Jr.), and their gang of misfit friends are fast on her trail and intent on saving her. Vanessa's dad, the ever meddling Dr. Doofenshmirtz (voiced by Dan Povenmire, co-creator of the series with Jeff "Swampy" Marsh) and -- unbeknownst to all -- secret agent Perry the Platypus (Dee Bradley Baker) are along for the ride.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (10 ):
Kids say (27 ):

Phineas, Ferb, and their gang have a loyal following of fans, and this silly movie reminds us why. Their wordplay, imaginative adventures, misfit kid group, science-y themes, clever dialogues, exaggerated sibling rivalries, and, best of all, the day-saving double-agent pet platypus Perry are all just huge fun and downright lovable. Some of the musical numbers in Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe are also laugh-out-loud funny, and there's a clever sequence where the cartoon's creators appear as part of a reversing of the animation.

Other riffs may fly over younger kids' heads, like a seeming jab at Alexa-style voice recognition technology and those, like Trekkies, who find life lessons in long-running shows. An alien does the floss dance, something no adult has ever done well. Candace and her new alien BFF share a song-worthy girls' day, and both reach a new level of self-awareness from a few probing questions. As usual, the action is frenetically fast-paced. So, parents: Strap yourselves in and enjoy the ride alongside your kids.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the relationship between Candace and her brothers shown in Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe. What lessons do they each learn? Do you see any similarities in your own sibling relationships or those of your friends?

  • There's a community of aliens known as the "Cowards" who ultimately save the day. How do we see their cowardice? What convinces them to be brave? Have you ever had to overcome fears and show bravery?

  • What did you think of the sequence where the animation reverses all the way out to the creators? Have you ever thought about how the animation in a film like this one is done? Did you learn anything from that sequence?

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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