Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Vibrant bird tale is part adventure, part love story.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Rio
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 73 parent reviews
Parents say that while the movie is visually stunning and contains captivating music, it has excessive elements that some find inappropriate for younger audiences, including violence, scary characters, and underlying sexual innuendos. Many find it suitable for children who can separate fantasy from reality, while others feel its themes warrant a PG rating instead of G, making it a mixed bag regarding its family-friendliness.
- violent content
- scary characters
- sexual innuendos
- visual appeal
- mixed reviews
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 114 kid reviews
What's the Story?
In RIO, Linda (voiced by Leslie Mann) and her pet blue macaw, Blu (Jesse Eisenberg), are the best of friends. They live in Moose Lake, Minn., where they run a bookstore together. One day, a Brazilian ornithologist named Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro) makes an unexpected visit, inviting Linda and Blu to visit his bird sanctuary in Rio so that Blu can meet—and hopefully mate with—the only other surviving parrot of his kind, Jewel (Anne Hathaway). Despite the fact that Blu can't fly, they agree to make the trip. But shortly after Blu meets Jewel, the two macaws are stolen by a group of smugglers that employs a cruel cockatoo named Nigel (Jemaine Clement) to do their dirty work. Blu and Jewel manage to escape, but they've always got Nigel close on their claws. Meanwhile, Tulio and Linda try to find their beloved birds by any means necessary, even navigating Rio's wild, annual Carnival parade.
Is It Any Good?
It's no surprise that this film feels as much like a love letter to Brazil as a delightful love story between two birds and their owners. Director Carlos Saldanha (of Ice Age fame) has said that it was his professional dream to create an animated film set in his native Brazil, and he's certainly succeeded with Rio. The movie's luscious color palette is so vibrant and the music (supervised by renowned Brazilian musician Sergio Mendes) so enchanting that most viewers will want to book trips to Rio after the credits roll. The main characters are helped tremendously by supporting songbirds Pedro and Nico, played by The Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am and Jamie Foxx, as well as the always-funny George Lopez as Rafael, a toucan with a large family.
One of the best parts of the movie is the inclusion of Fernando (Jake T. Austin), a child without a family who at first works for the smugglers but later redeems himself by helping Tulio and Linda. Many filmmakers would have ignored the grittier side of their beloved city, but Saldanha shows us—very believably—that a kid like Fernando just wants somewhere to belong. Plot wise, there's nothing particularly surprising about Jewel and Blu's adventure, but the animals we meet on the way—a group of tech-savvy marmosets that text "OOH OOH AH AH" to each other on pick-pocketed smartphones—and the backdrop of gorgeous Rio make this an exciting cinematic vacation for families.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Rio's characters and messages. Which of the characters are role models? How can you tell? What do they learn over the course of the movie?
What makes animal adventures so appealing? Why do many filmmakers—and families—gravitate toward movies that have animals as their main characters?
The movie's location, Rio de Janeiro, is as much of a character as Linda and Blu. What did you learn about Rio, Brazilian customs, and cultural traditions?
Which characters demonstrate courage, and how does teamwork lead to a good end result?
Movie Details
- In theaters : April 15, 2011
- On DVD or streaming : August 2, 2011
- Cast : Anne Hathaway , Jesse Eisenberg , Leslie Mann
- Director : Carlos Saldanha
- Inclusion Information : Latino Movie Director(s) , South American Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s) , Queer Movie Writer(s) , Transgender Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Twentieth Century Fox
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Adventures , Animals ( Wild Animals )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Teamwork
- Run time : 96 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : mild off color humor
- Awards : Academy Award - Other Category Nominee , Kids' Choice Award
- Last updated : November 4, 2025
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
Suggest an Update
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