Meant primarily to entertain and rich with positive messages, the film also includes wonderful visuals of New York City with its landmarks, its beauty, and its diversity.

Positive Messages

Filled with life lessons: "You can look at any situation -- no matter how bleak -- and still see a silver lining"; "Life is an adventure"; and "You’re as big as you feel." The film also delivers relevant, in-depth messages about lying, about breaking promises, and the conflicts that often accompany both.

Positive Role Models & Representations

With parents that are generous, honorable, loving, steadfast, and trusting, Stuart has developed strong values. He has an open heart, a resilient spirit, and a contagious enthusiasm for life. Other than an evil falcon, each character who makes a mistake learns a valuable lesson and is forgiven. George has an African-American best friend. Two stereotypes appear briefly: an Indian cab driver and the owner of a Chinese restaurant.

Violence & Scariness

Filled with pratfalls, heart-racing cartoon suspense and comic violence. Incidents include: a wild runaway toy plane with Stuart at the wheel; Stuart precariously lowered into a dark sink drain; Snowball the Cat thrown into a dumpster and later falling from a rooftop. The predatory falcon causes no end of mayhem: chasing the smaller, more vulnerable animals, grabbing them with his sharp talons, swooping and threatening the female bird in numerous scenes. He meets a ghastly end, smashing through glass, careening into a plane and falling to what must be certain death.

Sexy Stuff

A film clip from Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo shows a man and woman sharing a lengthy passionate kiss.

Language

Very mild potty language in a few scenes: "poop," "tinky."

Consumerism

Handi-Wipes (in dialogue), Bell Atlantic, Mobil Oil, Purdy Painting Tools.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this family comedy is a combination of computer animation and live action. The fact that some of the animated creatures seem very real (particularly a predatory falcon) heightens the intensity and may frighten the youngest kids. Stuart Little, the mouse hero of the movie, his bird friend Margalo, and Snowball the cat are often in jeopardy (multiple falls, chases, captures, threats), though no one is seriously injured except the villain whose evil behavior results in a very violent, yet still cartoonish, demise. There are a few instances of mild potty language ("poop," "tinky"). A film clip from Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo contains the only romantic scene, with a long, passionate kiss.

User Reviews

Parents say
Kids say

Adult Written byclarence August 6, 2015

age 2+

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Adult Written by413804 February 4, 2012

age 6+

Decent

It isn't as good as the first one, but fans of the first movie will enjoy it

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Teen, 13 years old Written byreviewgirl13 April 23, 2009

age 5+

Clean movie

Since I'm 13, I don't really enjoy movies like these, but when I was younger, I did like this movie. There's nothing to worry about. No languag... Continue reading

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Kid, 12 years old December 12, 2009

age 6+

a dissapointment from this little mouse.

i loved the first movie a lot but the second movie was huge dissapointment. It was boring and a little more intense then the first one. And unlike the first one... Continue reading

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What's the story?

STUART LITTLE 2 takes place where the last one left off, with Stuart (voiced by Michael J. Fox) living in New York with his parents (Hugh Laurie and Geena Davis), big brother George (Jonathan Lipnicki) and a new baby sister. The lives of the Little family are already somewhat tumultuous, with the new baby, George making new friends, and Mrs. Little loving but a bit overprotective. Stuart meets a lovely little bird named Margalo (voiced by Melanie Griffith) with an injured wing, and he takes her into his home. They become close, but she's not who she makes herself out to be and although she cares very much about Stuart and his family she must leave unexpectedly. Stuart doesn't understand and enlists the Littles' grumpy cat Snowbell (Nathan Lane) to help him find her. In the meantime, George covers up for Stuart by lying to his parents, and Stuart and Snowbell encounter many obstacles on their journey, but it all works out in the end.

Is it any good?

STUART LITTLE 2 is a sweet family movie with excellent voice talent and special effects. The story, a very watered down version of the second half of the classic book, is nothing to write home about, but it's a safe bet that fans of the first one will enjoy it.

The meticulous computer animation is still something to marvel at, with all the animated animals being realistic down to the last hair and feather. Also, Steve Zahn shines in a small role, and whoever cast James Woods as the villainous Falcon must've seen Disney's Hercules and realized that nobody can beat him as a bad guy.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about if it's OK to lie to keep a promise, especially if the promise is particularly dangerous.
What do you think it would be like to be a small animal in the big city?

Movie details

In theaters: July 19, 2002
On DVD or streaming: December 10, 2002
Cast: Geena Davis, Hugh Laurie, Michael J. Fox
Director: Rob Minkoff
Studio: Columbia Tristar
Genre: Family and Kids
Topics: Adventures, Book Characters
Run time: 77 minutes
MPAA rating: PG
MPAA explanation: peril and potty humor

Themes & Topics

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Common Sense says

Parents say