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Parents' Guide to

The BFG

By Jill Murphy, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Sweet Dahl book adaptation has big heart, big scares.

Movie PG 2016 115 minutes
The BFG Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 6+

Based on 29 parent reviews

KayseeChacha
KayseeChacha Parent of 5-year-old
November 22, 2021
age 7+

Sweet film, a bit too scary for younger ones

I personally wasn't blown away by the tale, but my 5 year old was utterly enchanted by a lot of the scenes (reaction to dream tree: "woah, that's beautiful!"). We only watched it because netflix suggested it and I started it before realising she hadn't seen it before and it was probably too scary for her, but she was so strongly insistent on watching it I couldn't really back out. 5 year old spent a lot of time hiding her eyes. Luckily I had seen it before, so I could tell her exactly what happened so she wasn't AS scared. She wouldn't have been able to watch it without an adult present and paying giving it/her their full attention - way too scary. At the end she said she thought it was more a film for her older sister (age 13). She also didn't understand most of what the BFG said, so I had to keep stopping the film to translate his language. What worries me the most about her having watched it is the possibility for nightmares. She's not scared now it's ended and it ended on a real high, soothing note, but I'm not convinced that the fear will not resurface at night. Time will tell!!
DrJones33
DrJones33 Parent of 7-year-old
July 3, 2021
age 7+

Good, but can be scary

Good movie overall, but some passages can be scary for the younger ones…
See all 29 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In THE BFG, Sophie (Ruby Barnhill), a young orphan with insomnia, spends her evenings either walking the halls of the orphanage or reading books well into the wee hours of the night. On one of these restless nights, she finds herself face-to-face with "the boogie monster." He kidnaps her and takes her to live on Giant Island; as a result, Sophie spends the beginning of the movie terrified and angry -- she's scared of being eaten and then angry when she learns she's expected to live on Giant Island for the rest of her life. But gradually Sophie and the "monster" get to know each other, and Sophie learns that he's actually a Big Friendly Giant (Mark Rylance), who walks the streets at night placing good dreams into children's rooms. As their friendship unfolds, the BFG shows caring and kindness toward Sophie -- and they work together to try to rid Giant Island of the rest of its scary, bullying residents, all of whom are eager to eat the "bean" (aka "child") that the BFG brought home with him. Sophie and the BFG power through dangerous encounters, terrifying close calls, and sheer hilarity as they discover a deep and truly unique friendship.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (29 ):
Kids say (44 ):

The magic, fantasy, and eventual pure sweetness between the two central characters is nothing short of heartwarming. The BFG has many opportunities to highlight what being a good friend is all about -- and what it means to have strong values. Sophie, a wise-beyond-her-years orphan, is played incredibly well by Barnhill. She's fully developed as a character, but her maturity is lovingly balanced with her regular, child-like ways. This is a welcome change, since "mature kids" in movies and TV shows can often seem sassy and unrelatable.

The visuals live up to director Steven Spielberg's reputation; as always, he has a knack for bringing fantastical elements and creatures into everyday life. As for the BFG himself, Rylance will win audiences over from his first (of many) teary-eyed smile. His giant warmth and compassion, his bumbling language and missteps, and his grit and determination will leave every kid -- and parent -- wanting a BFG of their own.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what makes Sophie such a strong character in The BFG. Do you think she's a good role model? Why? Can you think of other movies featuring strong female characters?

  • What was the scariest part of the movie? Did the scary parts make the movie sadder or more fun? Why? How much scary stuff can young kids handle?

  • What did this movie teach you about friendship? What specific things happened that were examples of empathy, courage, and perseverance? Why are those important character strengths?

  • Why do you think the BFG didn't eat "beans" like the other giants? In what other ways is he different from the other giants?

  • Kids: If you read the book, how do you think the movie compares? Were there scenes in the movie that looked different in your mind? Do you like reading a book before it gets made into a movie?

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