Common Sense Media Review
By Renee Schonfeld
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Live-action dubbed puppet story is creepy and lacks humor.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 4 parent reviews
What's the Story?
Gepetto (Carlo Giuffre), a kindly puppet-maker, is desperately lonely. When a magical log appears in his workshop, he uses it to create PINOCCHIO (Roberto Benigni, voiced in English by Breckin Meyer), a puppet whom he treats like a real boy. But the puppet has a mind of his own, and when his father sends him off to school with loving parental guidance, Pinocchio is distracted by the promise of everlasting fun and great wealth. Naive and foolish, his adventures in the wide world find him the victim of tricksters, other naughty boys, and his own misbehavior. Only the beautiful blue-haired fairy (Nicoletta Braschi, voiced in English by Glenn Close) and his Cricket conscience (Peppe Barra) enable Pinocchio to finally find the goodness within himself.
Is It Any Good?
Skip this one: Walt Disney's animated Pinocchio is imaginative, fun, and a much better film. As if it weren't bad enough to watch the bounding energy of a misguided, middle-aged Italian actor delighting in playing a schoolboy, when he's dubbed in the screechy voice of a young English-speaking actor, the "mismatched" heroic puppet-boy is even more unappealing. Coupled with uneven pacing, a nearly two-hour running time, and inept storytelling -- some elements aren't fully developed, and others are never resolved -- the film is almost unwatchable.
Plus, there are scary moments, unnecessarily ghoulish events (Pinocchio hanging limply from a tree in silhouette; the death of his friend after being turned into a donkey) and a general randomness that precludes any satisfying character arc.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the characters who encouraged Pinocchio to misbehave. What made Pinocchio listen to them and make bad choices? Kids: Who influences your choices? Are there people in your life or in the media who encourage breaking rules? How do you deal with them?
How does this version of Pinocchio compare to others you've read or seen?
Movie Details
- In theaters: December 25, 2002
- On DVD or streaming: July 15, 2003
- Cast: Nicoletta Braschi , Roberto Benigni
- Director: Roberto Benigni
- Studio: Miramax
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Book Characters , Puppets
- Run time: 115 minutes
- MPAA rating: G
- Last updated: October 8, 2022
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 suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
What to Watch Next
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