
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland
By Nell Minow,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Sesame Street fans will love this sweet movie.

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The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland
Community Reviews
Based on 33 parent reviews
All they do is scream
Don't bother, not a good first movie - at all
What's the Story?
In this Sesame Street adventure, Elmo's favorite friend, his beloved blanket, is tossed into Oscar's trash can. Elmo (Kevin Clash) goes in after it, only to find himself transported to Grouchland, where grouches cut off the flowers and keep the stems and you get put in jail if you ask for help. The Sesame Street characters all go to Grouchland to try to find Elmo, but by then Elmo is on his way to get his blanket back from mean Mr. Huxley (Mandy Patinkin), who takes everything he sees and has a big machine to stamp "MINE" on everything he takes.
Is It Any Good?
Sesame Street fans will love THE ADVENTURES OF ELMO IN GROUCHLAND, which has all of the wonderful Sesame Street trademarks. There are subtle puns for parents, delightful silliness for kids, and gentle lessons about cooperation, loyalty, sharing, and believing in yourself for everyone, all told with their characteristic warmth, good humor, and kindness. Even Oscar the Grouch (Carroll Spinney) admits that Elmo is his friend. And during the few moments of mild tension, Ernie and Bert appear to reassure kids that everything is all right.
Patinkin and Vanessa Williams (as the Trash Queen) provide some star power, but the real stars are the Muppets and the audience -- who are invited to participate in the movie at crucial moments.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about their own "special" toys and other transition objects. Why is it sometimes hard to share?
What do the characters learn during the movie? What makes a Grouch a Grouch? (It can be a lot of fun to spend a couple of hours pretending the whole family is in Grouchland!)
Movie Details
- In theaters: October 1, 1999
- On DVD or streaming: December 21, 1999
- Cast: Kevin Clash , Mandy Patinkin , Vanessa Williams
- Director: Gary Halvorson
- Inclusion Information: Black actors, Female actors
- Studio: Columbia Tristar
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Adventures , Puppets
- Character Strengths: Teamwork
- Run time: 73 minutes
- MPAA rating: G
- Last updated: November 1, 2023
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