Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Cute British adventure has positive messages, scary robots.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Postman Pat: The Movie
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 12 parent reviews
Parents say the film is not appropriate for young children, featuring frightening robots and dark themes that may lead to distress, as evidenced by multiple reports of kids having meltdowns. While some adults found it amusing and entertaining as a stand-alone movie, many criticized it for straying too far from the original character's charm and for its lack of suitability for preschoolers.
- inappropriate for preschoolers
- frightening content
- dark themes
- harmless for adults
- lack of charm
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 3 kid reviews
What's the Story?
POSTMAN PAT: THE MOVIE follows the lovable Pat Clifton (voiced by Stephen Mangan) on a feature-length adventure that takes him from his small village of Greendale to the big city of London. Pat promises his wife, Sara (Susan Duerden), that they'll use his annual bonus for a belated honeymoon, but his plans are foiled when budget cuts mean no bonuses for anyone. Desperate to still make Sara's dreams come true, Pat tries out for the reality talent show You're the One, hosted by the overly critical Simon Cowbell (Robin Atkin Downes, doing a Simon Cowell impression). As Pat faces tough singing competition from handsome singer Josh (Rupert Grint), a Draco Malfoy-esque exec uses the opportunity to release a robot postman prototype (a Pat replica) in Greendale.
Is It Any Good?
Little kids familiar with the appealing Postman Pat series will enjoy spending more time with the inhabitants of the small village of Greendale. They'll have fun cheering Pat on as he competes in the You're the One competition (Pat's singing voice is Irish singer-songwriter Ronan Keating). Adults will appreciate some of the parent-friendly humor, the Cowell impression, and the performances by Grint and David Tennant, who plays Josh's fame-hungry dad/manager.
Although the computer-generated animation isn't nearly on par with big-budget animated features by Blue Sky or Pixar, Postman Pat: The Movie is still a sweet, charming story about what happens when you start prioritizing fame or efficiency above relationships and human connection, respectively. And the earnest humor makes this British import a lot of fun to watch with little ones.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Postman Pat changes throughout the movie and why he loses sight of what he initially set out to do. What are we supposed to learn from Pat's experiences?
Why didn't the town like the robot postmen? How is the real Pat irreplaceable?
Does the movie make you more interested in the Postman Pat show?
Movie Details
- In theaters : June 27, 2014
- On DVD or streaming : September 23, 2014
- Cast : David Tennant , Rupert Grint , Stephen Mangan
- Director : Mike Disa
- Studio : Shout! Factory
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Transportation ( Cars & Trucks ) , Animals , Friendship , Arts ( Music and Sing-Along ) , Robots
- Run time : 88 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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