Parents' Guide to Rufus 2

Movie NR 2017 46 minutes
Rufus 2 movie poster: A young White girl and boy sit back to back, their shadows appearing as a cat and dog on the wall behind them

Common Sense Media Review

Kat Halstead By Kat Halstead , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 7+

More friendship and animal antics in wacky sequel.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 7+?

Any Positive Content?

  • Rufus 2: A young White girl and boy stare into a shop window, with another boy and girl standing behind them
  • Rufus 2: A young White girl talks on the phone, while a girl and boy watch her while hiding in a bush behind her
  • Rufus 2: A young White boy stands in his house and gestures to his dog, the back of his mom's head can be seen in front of him

Parent and Kid Reviews

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What's the Story?

In RUFUS 2, a year after a magic amulet first changed Manny's dog Rufus into a human boy (Jace Norman), the magic is malfunctioning and changing him back to his canine form when he gets too excited. Struggling to keep his identity a secret, Manny (Davis Cleveland) and his girlfriend, Paige (Haley Tju), are suspicious when snooty new girl Kat (Jade Pettyjohn) takes an unexpected interest in him. Does she pose a threat to Rufus or could she surprisingly be his perfect match?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say : Not yet rated
Kids say : Not yet rated

This sequel retains the original's great messages about friendship, but leans even more heavily into the ridiculous setup, with mixed results. The addition of a cat character is a fun dynamic in Rufus 2, but talk of dragon magic and a maniacal squirrel may ramp up the silliness a little too far for some. Younger kids might find the squirrel, in particular, hilarious, but older viewers are more likely to roll their eyes. Some of the acting is a little more hit and miss here too, but with the new species introduced come plenty of new options for chaotic behavior—a character being distracted by balls of yarn and the temptation to knock objects off tables, etc. The friendship between Manny and Rufus feels like a warm place to return to, and fans of the first movie will likely enjoy stepping back into their world as it gets even more chaotic.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Rufus 2 as a sequel. Have you seen the first film? How did this compare? What was similar and what was new? What about the first movie do you think made filmmakers and audiences want the story to continue?

  • Characters showed teamwork and empathy. How did these help them to work through obstacles and grow as people?

  • The movie observes animal and human behaviors. What behaviors of dogs and cats did it portray through their human counterparts? What did Rufus and Kat learn about human behavior—and the behavior of the other species—during the movie?

Movie Details

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Rufus 2 movie poster: A young White girl and boy sit back to back, their shadows appearing as a cat and dog on the wall behind them

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