Clever, funny, and sweet villain-with-a-heart-of-gold tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
some
Cartoon violence includes a little girl put in a box and a squished juice carton briefly referencing blood (but no one is hurt). In another scene, children are locked in a "box of shame" as punishment. The minions communicate with each other through slapstick moves like punches and shoves. Several explosions and gun violence occur, never quite killing anyone but injuring some. Lots of jokes, occasionally crude, depicting super weapons and crime.
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The adopted girls are the best positive role models among a slew of mischievous villains. They're sweet, helpful, and generous, and they take care of and comfort one another, even when other adults can't step into caregiving roles. Their bravery and compassion show that everyone is deserving of love. The minions mainly exist to offer comic relief, but their teamwork is admirable. Gru, though a villain, changes for the better, learns compassion, and ends up with the family bonds he always wanted. Villains do act cruelly, though: Miss Hattie, the orphanage director, verbally and emotionally abuses the girls, saying "You're never going to be adopted. You know that, don't you?" and puts them in a "box of shame" as punishment.
Educational Value
a little
Kids learn that even so-called "evil" people are still human beings who long to be recognized and loved. Gru shows that not all "evil" people are unredeemable.
Positive Messages
very little
Despicable Me argues that even "bad guys" can have a change of heart, but much of the film reinforces negative adoption stereotypes, including adopting kids for selfish reasons, "returning" them to the orphanage, and an orphanage director who verbally and emotionally abuses kids. Much of the behavior and treatment depicted in the film would cause traumatic and lasting consequences in real life.
Diverse Representations
very little
The three young girls are the redeeming characters in a White, male-dominated villain world. The only other women, Miss Hattie and Gru's mother, are portrayed as heartless and cold. No cultural diversity on-screen; Floyd, a minor character who owns a wig shop, is the only character voiced by a person of color (Ken Jeong). With Gru's initially selfish motivations for adopting kids, his ultimate acceptance of his new family seems more bittersweet than earned.
Parents need to know that Despicable Me centers around a supervillain, Gru (voiced by Steve Carell), who adopts three girls for the sole purpose of infiltrating the house of his nemesis. It includes insults like "stupid" and "poop," plus lots of action sequences involving high-tech weapons that blast things to smithereens, as well as some scenes that imply injury—though no one is ever seriously injured. But the most potentially disturbing aspect of the movie is the way that adoption is depicted, at least at first. From orphans locked in a "box of shame" by an abusive orphanage director to Gru's selfish motivations for adopting three girls, the situation is played for humor, but it can feel a little grim. Still, the movie's overall message is that even someone who's considered "evil" can have a change of heart and learn compassion. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Rated U (very mild threat, comic violence, rude humour).
MAIN CONTENT ISSUES - There are some moments of very mild threat and peril, usually comical in nature, as well as frequent slapstick violence. However, a few moments towards the end depict more realistic moments of characters in danger, such as children falling from great heights and being captured by a villain. These moments are rather brief and resolved quickly, but might be slightly scary to more sensitive children. There is also infrequent rude humour, such as a couple of fart jokes and a scene where some characters photocopy their bottoms (the characters refer to them as "butts") and laugh at the resulting images, although the images aren't shown on screen. | OTHER CONTENT ISSUES - There are infrequent emotional scenes and the theme of orphans is lightly explored. There is also some naughty and potentially imitable behaviour when a girl holds her breath until she gets what she wants, although this is not encouraged as she is seen to nearly pass out. | RATED "U" - Universal, suitable for all. Contains content generally suitable for children aged 4 years and over.
Minions are super funny, it made me feel both happy and sad. A fun Movie for everyone!!!!
What's the Story?
In DESPICABLE ME, supervillain Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) has made a name for himself stealing things like the Times Square JumboTron and the Statue of Liberty, but when he's outshone by younger villain Vector (Jason Segel), Gru sets out on a mission to steal the moon and prove his worthiness. Gru, in need of a way into Vector's mansion, uses kids from a nearby orphanage to exact his plan. Adopting three young girls—Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Elsie Fisher)—Gru sets out to prove who's the best villain of all. But when he starts to develop real feelings for the children, he's forced to decide whether it's better to leave a legacy of crime or a legacy of love.
Carell as Gru may be the draw for this delightful movie, and he does a wonderful job—as always—with his voice acting, but it's the girls who are the most impressive. They know exactly how to convey hurt, disappointment, joy, and wonder—not an easy task for young actors, but it's what makes Despicable Me so lovable. Segel's Vector is that fabulous combination of super nerdy and super arrogant, exactly the sort of villain (and person) who would rankle a veteran villain like Gru. The movie also has a wonderfully catchy and unique soundtrack by hip-hop performer/producer Pharrell Williams.
The best movie villains gleefully chew up the scenery, either because they're so creepily eeeevil (Darth Vader, Hannibal Lecter, Voldemort) or because they're larger than life (the Terminator, Cruella de Vil, the Wicked Witch of the West). So it's a unique twist to see an animated movie that focuses on the villain. He doesn't turn into a hero overnight, but he's not a one-dimensional tyrant, either. He's got "mommy issues" (his mom, played by Julie Andrews, is the stereotypical "overly critical" mother who's never pleased with her son's accomplishments), he's older and not as "bankable" as he used to be, and he really needs a buzzed-about scheme to go his way. Enter the three little orphans, the youngest of whom (Agnes) is so irresistibly adorable she's like a human Puss 'N Boots. Will Gru prove to be the best villain, or find something more meaningful to fight for?
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the fact that Despicable Me centers around a "villain" instead of a "hero." Is that typical? How does Gru change over the course of the movie? What happens that affects his attitude?
How are orphans depicted in the movie? What about orphanages? Do you think that's how orphans must be treated or feel? Name some other famous orphans in movies and books.
How does the cartoon action in this movie compare to others you've seen? Does this kind of media violence have more or less impact than what's in live-action movies? Why?
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
suggesting a diversity 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.
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
