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Parents' Guide to

Runaway Ralph

By Grace Montgomery, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 5+

Sweet, squeaky-clean mouse tale based on children's book.

Movie NR 2010 60 minutes
Runaway Ralph Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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What's the Story?

The adventurous mouse Ralph (voiced by John Matthews), who lives at the Mountain View Inn, decides he's sick of getting in trouble at home and takes off on an adventure on his motorcycle. Meanwhile, Garf (Fred Savage) reluctantly sets off for Happy Acres summer camp after a brief stop at the Mountain View Inn with his parents. The two meet at Happy Acres, where Garf rescues Ralph from being eaten by the camp cat. The two become fast friends, and the talking mouse keeps the socially shy Garf company while he hides out from other kids. But can Garf keep Ralph safe from the evil Catso? And can he convince camp counselor Aunt Jill (Conchata Ferrell), with a little help from Ralph, that he didn't steal a fellow camper's watch?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (2 ):

RUNAWAY RALPH is a fun film that parents and kids alike will enjoy. Although the stop-motion animation looks pretty dated (and honestly a bit creepy since the animals almost look like taxidermy) and the mice are a bit hard to understand, the story is sweet and nicely captures the joys and awkwardness of adolescence. Both Ralph and Garf feel out of place, and their instant bond is heartwarming. And Ralph's adventures zipping around on his tiny motorcycle are silly and fun. It's not a very complicated story, but it nicely illustrates the sometimes odd friendships children form and how important they are.

Parents will love the clean, simple plot and the wholesome messages. And young kids will like the tame thrills of watching Ralph narrowly escape from Catso, zip under cars on his motorcycle, and sneak around the camp.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about independence. Why is it important to learn how to do things on your own and take care of yourself? How do you know when you should ask for help?

  • How does Ralph's behavior change throughout the film?

  • What do Garf and Ralph learn from each other?

Movie Details

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