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Parents' Guide to

The Boy, the Dog and the Clown

By Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Whimsical friendship tale; some sadness and danger.

Movie NR 2019 90 minutes
The Boy, the Dog and the Clown Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • The Boy, The Dog and The Clown Movie: Adrien meets The Clown & Foxy
  • The Boy, The Dog and The Clown Movie: Learning the Harmonica
  • The Boy, The Dog and The Clown Movie: Adrien, Foxy & Mom
  • The Boy, The Dog and The Clown Movie: Fun Scared Together
  • The Boy, The Dog and The Clown Movie: Mom Meets Clown

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What's the Story?

Only days before his tenth birthday, Adrien (Adrien Lyon) meets an unusual clown (Gabriel Dell, Jr.) and his dog Foxy in THE BOY, THE DOG AND THE CLOWN. Their meeting seems destined as they laugh together, quickly bond, and promise to meet again. Adrien is excited when he tells his mom (Kiki Del Vecchio) about the wonderful friendship he's made, and the magic tricks Clown can perform. But the next day, when Adrien brings Clown home, Mom is VERY surprised, and wary. But she, too, is charmed, not only because it's the first time she's seen her son so happy since the death of his dad, but because Clown is simply delightful. When Adrien convinces his mother to include Clown on their birthday camping trip with his aunt and uncle, the three take off on what is to be a wonderful adventure. And wonderful it is, until circumstances put Adrien, Foxy, and Clown in danger, and it appears that the clown has very mysterious origins.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1 ):

This movie wants you to put away any reluctance to trust in magic, any need for straight answers or logical solutions, and simply go with a story of enchantment and the power of love and belief. The filmmaking team doesn't even attempt to explain or resolve plot elements that drive The Boy, The Dog and The Clown. That's not their goal. The movie is warmhearted, funny, and passionate about the need for miracles at challenging times. It's a low-budget production with family collaboration: Adrien Lyon is the son of the writer/director and Foxy is the Lyon pet. The boy makes up for his inexperience with a heartfelt performance. And Gabriel Dell, Jr. is a stellar clown.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the importance of movies like The Boy, The Dog and The Clown, which help kids cope with difficult situations like death and grief. Why do you think that it's sometimes easier to deal with such disturbing feelings by watching others experience them and find hope or resolution? Can you think of a movie that made a difference for you?

  • Movies often give us an opportunity to learn. Find out more about clowns, who have been part entertainment history for centuries. What is coulrophobia?

  • In stories like this one, there's usually one character who isn't convinced that there's magic. Who is that person? What finally convinces the character to believe?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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