Common Sense Media Review
By Betsy Bozdech
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Charming, wordless, book-based holiday fable for all ages.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Snowman
What's the Story?
Based on Raymond Briggs' classic picture book, THE SNOWMAN tells the story of a boy's magical Christmas adventure. After the snowman he builds comes to life in the middle of the night, a young English boy and his new friend explore, starting off inside the boy's house and then moving outside after things get a little too warm. Ultimately, they take flight, soaring over the wintry countryside until they wind up at the North Pole, where they join a festive party with Santa and many other snowmen before heading back home.
Is It Any Good?
This is a mostly animated tale that blends whimsy, nostalgia, and holiday magic to create a feel-good fable that viewers of all ages will enjoy. There's an extremely brief live-action intro that sets the main action up as a boyhood flashback.
The Snowman's flickering, broad-strokes animation style truly makes the movie look like a picture book come to life, and the story is simple -- and engaging -- enough that the lack of narration and dialogue doesn't matter a whit, especially since Howard Blake's score is so lovely. Even the youngest kids will be able to follow this tale of friendship, curiosity, and the joy of discovery.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether it matters that The Snowman doesn't have any talking. Do you need words to understand what's going on?
What do the boy and the snowman learn from each other? Why do they have so much fun together?
Although The Snowman takes place at Christmas, it's not about presents. What else is Christmas about? How does your family celebrate the holidays?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 26, 1982
- On DVD or streaming : October 24, 2006
- Cast : Raymond Briggs
- Director : Dianne Jackson
- Studio : Sony Pictures
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Book Characters , Friendship , Holidays
- Run time : 26 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : nothing that would offend parents for viewing by children
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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