Common Sense Media Review
Appliances make a suspenseful, incredible journey.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
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The Brave Little Toaster
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 14 parent reviews
Based on 24 kid reviews
Kids say the film is a mix of imaginative storytelling and unsettling scenes, often leaving them feeling scared or traumatized. While many appreciate its deep messages and strong character development, numerous reviews caution against letting very young children watch due to the dark themes and frightening moments, suggesting it is better suited for older kids or teens.
- dark themes
- scary scenes
- emotional rollercoaster
- not for young kids
- strong messages
- imaginative storytelling
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Abandoned by the little boy they refer to as "the master" (voiced by Timothy Day), small cottage appliances work together to track him down in the big city. Along the way, they face unfriendly terrain, greedy repair-shop parts hunters, and jealous city appliances.
Is It Any Good?
Disney's THE BRAVE LITTLE TOASTER, which was written by sci-fi writer Thomas M. Disch, makes the audience root for the appliances and their plucky determination. It also opens the door to a dialogue about the disposable culture in which we live, where appliances can be dumped in favor of a newer model even when they work just fine. The animation seems a bit dated and grainy, but it somehow acts to reinforce the notion that the appliances are out of pace with their city competitors.
Visual comedy is at a minimum, though the scenes of the appliances considering different transportation modes (pogo sticks, refrigerators on wheels) are funny. Most of the humor comes from the smartly written dialogue and Radio (Jon Lovitz) runs away with all the good lines, as when he tells shorted-out Kirby to recover by making "even carpet sweeping motions!" Another nice touch is the appliances who seem to be channeling Hollywood celebrities, like the air conditioner who sounds suspiciously like Jack Nicholson. Children younger than 5 might enjoy the story but be frightened by the strong imagery -- even if it's just appliances being hurt, they're appliances the audience grows to care about.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the friends worked together to travel from the country cottage to the city; What obstacles did they overcome? How did each of their skills -- Kirby's strength, Radio's navigational abilities -- contribute to them finding the master? What are some good things about using older items instead of buying new -- from an economic, environmental, and/or emotional standpoint?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 10, 1987
- On DVD or streaming : September 2, 2003
- Cast : Deanna Oliver , Jon Lovitz , Phil Hartman
- Director : Jerry Rees
- Studio : Walt Disney Pictures
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : not rated
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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