Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Cute musical Jersey crab adventure has mild peril, romance.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Under the Boardwalk
What's the Story?
UNDER THE BOARDWALK is an animated adventure about the Jersey Shore, where hermit land crabs live in the titular location year-round but have to share the beaches in the summer with wealthy and worldly sea hermit tourists. Quiet Armen (voiced by Michael Cera) is so introverted that he refuses to switch shells, preferring a rotting old one, where he lives with his attached Anemone (Ron Funches). Tensions between the townies and the tourists run high, leading to a fight that leads Armen and a brave but sheltered sea crab named Ramona (Keke Palmer) to be swept away by a storm's wave. As Armen and Ramona work together to get back to their friends and family, the two communities disagree about what happened to them.
Is It Any Good?
The Garden State's beaches get another moment in the spotlight in this short and surprisingly sweet musical adventure. The premise might make some viewers initially skeptical -- particularly the Jersey Shore references -- but Under the Boardwalk is like a pop-culture reference-filled take on the old 1950s and '60s teen beach movies, with musical numbers, forbidden romance, and class issues all swirling together in a family-friendly animated film. Screenwriter Lorene Scafaria (an Italian American New Jersey native) pokes fun at the Jersey identity, but there's also a palpable pride in the humor ("Holy Bon Jovi" being a favorite among the characters' exclamations).
Cera is ideally cast as the introverted Armen, and Palmer does a fine job as the braver Ramona. Funches, Bobby Cannavale, John Magaro, Steven Van Zandt, Mario Cantone, and Phil LaMarr all voice various supporting characters, with Funches and LaMarr especially noteworthy as Cera's live-in Anemone and a Jersey mobster crab named Big Sal. The songs are catchy and funny, including the big opener, "Welcome to New Jersey" and duet "Look Around." Cannavale's "More than a Meathead" is a silly but tender wish to be seen for more than his crab's big, bronzed muscles. Like that song, the movie is more than meets the eye and makes for a fun family pick.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the aggressive/violent interactions between the two hermit crab groups in Under the Boardwalk. What are their main differences? Why do those differences lead to conflict?
Are any of the characters role models? How do they demonstrate empathy?
Parents; What jokes or stereotypes about the Jersey Shore and its residents did you notice in the movie? Are all stereotypes negative?
What did you learn about the differences between land and sea crabs from watching the movie? What resources could you use to learn more about crabs?
Movie Details
- In theaters : October 27, 2023
- On DVD or streaming : November 17, 2023
- Cast : Michael Cera , Keke Palmer , Bobby Cannavale , John Magaro
- Director : David Soren
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Paramount Pictures
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship , Arts ( Music and Sing-Along ) , Animals ( Ocean Creatures )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Empathy , Teamwork
- Run time : 83 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some impolite material and mild violence
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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