Common Sense Media Review
By Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Lethargic family comedy promotes math, science, and empathy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Poof Point
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In THE POOF POINT, Norton (Mark Curry) and Marigold Ballard (Dawnn Lewis) are developing a time-travel machine in their basement science lab. But when their dog, Einstein, steals a vital part just as they're conducting a test, they soon find themselves aging backwards and it is only a matter of time (less than 24 hours) before they'll hit "poof point" and cease to exist. As they get younger and younger and gradually lose their scientific knowledge, it is up to their teenage children, Eddie (Tahj Mowry) and Marie (Raquel Lee), to remember everything their parents taught them, along with a touch of their own math and science knowledge, to recalculate the algorithm, find the missing part, and save their parents from going "poof."
Is It Any Good?
Disney's The Poof Point is colorful, energetic, and chaotic… but lacks any real urgency until the final scene. Younger children will enjoy the sheer silliness of the parents gradually getting younger -- playing seven-year-olds and toddlers from within their 40-year-old bodies. But elsewhere the acting isn't always convincing, making the pace seem slower than the movie's 89 minutes should allow. Turn-to-camera interludes only serve to make it feel more disjointed and provide another example of the acting not quite hitting the mark.
There are very few levels beyond the immediate physicality of what is happening in any given scene, so older children and adults may struggle to stick with a plot line that deviates very little from the generic and predictable. However, it does serve to make science and math appear fun and encourages understanding between parents and children, making it an easy watch with some educational value that will keep younger viewers amused.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the family dynamic in The Poof Point. How does the relationship between the parents and children change during the movie? What do you think they learn from each other? Can you think of any examples of what you've learned from your parents, and what they in turn might have learned from you?
Discuss the characters of Norton and Marigold. How might they be described as stereotypes or caricatures of scientists? Why do we have to be careful of stereotyping people?
How are math and science represented in the movie?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : September 14, 2001
- Cast : Tahj Mowry , Dawnn Lewis , Mark Curry
- Director : Neal Israel
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studios : Disney Channel Original Movies , Disney+
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , STEM
- Run time : 89 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate