Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sweet but uninspired fantasy is fine for families.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Tooth Fairy
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 30 parent reviews
Parents say the movie is a lighthearted and family-friendly comedy, showcasing Dwayne Johnson's comedic talent while delivering positive messages about dreams and personal growth. Despite mixed opinions on its plot and humor, many families found it entertaining and suitable for young children, although some expressed concern about certain scenes and messages regarding consent.
- family-friendly
- positive messages
- comedic talent
- mixed opinions
- young children
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 42 kid reviews
What's the Story?
Derek "The Tooth Fairy" Thompson (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) is a mean minor-league hockey player with a chip on his shoulder. Once a pro, he's best known in the minors for accruing the most penalties in the league by smashing into opponents so hard they lose a tooth. He takes pleasure in telling young fans to lower their expectations and stop having unrealistic dreams. After nearly ruining the tooth fairy fantasy for his girlfriend Carly's (Ashley Judd) little girl, he's summoned to Tooth Fairy Land for the crime of Dissemination of Disbelief. Derek appears before fairy judge Lily (Julie Andrews), who sentences him to spend two weeks as a tooth fairy -- complete with wings, stockinged feet, and a personal caseworker, Tracy (Stephen Merchant). On call to collect teeth at a moment's notice, Derek's new job challenges his beliefs, his relationship with Carly, and his hockey performance -- ultimately for the better.
Is It Any Good?
The Rock has the powerful body of Arnold Schwarzenegger and the easy charm of Vince Vaughn, with a blindingly white smile that's hard to ignore. That's not a bad combination for a comedy, but it's gangly, bug-eyed British comedian Merchant (Ricky Gervais' creative partner in crime) who steals the show in this sugar-sweet kids' fantasy. It's not that the movie is completely awful, but it is awfully derivative and absolutely nothing parents haven't seen before. But with his dry wit and hilarious body language, Merchant at least livens up some of the bland jokes and predictable sight gags. The Rock looks comfortable enough, but there's just not much to his character that isn't summed up in the trailer.
It's always good to see Andrews in any capacity, and it's an even bigger treat to see Billy Crystal, who somehow came out of live-action semi-retirement to play the fairy in charge of gadgets. It's unclear why he chose this particular movie to grace with an uncredited performance, but his Jerry the Fairy is, along with Merchant's Tracy, one of the best reasons to see what's otherwise a so-so movie with a lovely but obvious message about children -- and adults -- needing to have dreams.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the movie's messages about dreams and fantasy. Is there a middle ground between Derek's dream-killing stance and someone whose dreams might seem far out of reach?
Derek relies on his tough-guy persona and good looks. Is this a negative role model for boys and young men?
Is the action-star-in-a-family-comedy genre predictable? Did you know generally what would happen at the end? Was the happy ending less satisfying because it was so obvious?
Movie Details
- In theaters : January 22, 2010
- On DVD or streaming : May 4, 2010
- Cast : Ashley Judd , Dwayne The Rock Johnson , Julie Andrews
- Director : Michael Lembeck
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Twentieth Century Fox
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- Run time : 85 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : mild language, some rude humor and sports action
- Last updated : September 30, 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