Common Sense Media Review
By Yvonne Condes
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sad, beautiful tale of boy genius and tragic gun accident.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet
What's the Story?
T.S. Spivet (Kyle Catlett) is a boy genius living on a beautiful ranch in Montana with his cowboy dad (Callum Keith Rennie), scientist mother (Helena Bonham Carter), teenage sister (Niamh Wilson), and twin brother. A terrible accident leaves T.S. guilt ridden and isolated, so -- after winning a contest from the Smithsonian for making a perpetual motion machine -- he runs away to collect his prize. His plan leads him on an incredible and emotional adventure.
Is It Any Good?
This offbeat, melancholy film, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amelie), starts out quirky and then turns tragically sad as more information about what happened to T.S.' twin brother is revealed. The scenery is gorgeous, and the acting is wonderful -- especially on the part of Catlett, who plays T.S. He's compelling and tragic, which makes it easy to feel T.S.' isolation and guilt. His father doesn't appreciate T.S.' brilliance (or his wife's) and ends up being somewhat one-dimensional, though Bonham Carter is sympathetic as T.S.' dotty mother, Dr. Clair, who increasingly turns inward after the accident.
It takes a long time for anyone to take responsibility for allowing T.S. and his brother to play with guns -- or to acknowledge that their living son is in pain, which won't be easy for parents to watch. The story is moving and sometimes magical, but at other times odd (the dog starts talking), which takes you out of the story a bit. Overall, THE YOUNG AND PRODIGIOUS T.S. SPIVET is a good, sweet film, but it's not for younger kids.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the role that guns play in The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet. Do you talk about gun safety with your family? What's the impact on kids of seeing violence -- including gun violence -- in the media?
T.S. is upset with his parents and runs away. Kids: Have you ever felt so upset with an adult that you felt like running away? How did you get past that feeling? What are the dangers of doing what T.S. did? What can we learn from his story?
Do you think G.H. Jibsen was exploiting T.S. by making him speak to a crowd and coaching him before he went on a TV show? What do you do when people try to make you do things you don't feel comfortable doing?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 31, 2015
- On DVD or streaming : November 3, 2015
- Cast : Helena Bonham Carter , Judy Davis , Kyle Katlett
- Director : Jean-Pierre Jeunet
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : The Weinstein Company
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Adventures , Book Characters
- Run time : 105 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : thematic elements, language and some reckless behavior
- Last updated : October 1, 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