Common Sense Media Review
By Tracy Moore
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
age 10+
Family drama with teenage rebellion, hard lessons.
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Videos and photos
Based on 2 opinions of parents
What is the story?
After a lifetime of moving around a lot and always being the new kid at school, 13-year-old Ben (Brandon Tyler Russell) is a disrespectful, unruly, downright petulant brat. So no one is surprised when he gets a bad crowd at his last school, vandalizes a restaurant, and ends up on the wrong side of juvenile court. His options: spend three months on a farm with the grandfather he’s never met (Peter Fonda) while hapless single mother Amanda (Mira Sorvino) finishes her nursing degree, or spend three years in the minors. He chooses a farm and gets his hands dirty along the way, meeting a loyal dog and some tough characters, including Mr. Smith (Louis Gossett Jr.), who teaches him the meaning of hard work, family values, and shows him some respect.
Is it good?
SMITTY is engaging enough; its intergenerational conflict, old-fashioned lessons and basic plot will sound a lot like great On the Golden Pond. Both feature a single mother with a wayward teenage daughter who is groomed by grumpy old Fonda who really cares, deep down, deep beneath all that twisted toughness. It also has the same sentimentality, but falls well short of comic relief. Unfortunately, that lack of comic relief means the first half of the film feels like a seamless distillation of every single thing every old person ever told you growing up about how to behave properly.
Fortunately, it heats up a bit on the way out as the characters and the film find their way. Kids will enjoy the relationship Ben has with the smart, loyal farm dog, and everyone within range will be relieved to see Ben finally learn how to say “thank you” and “please” without frowning. Added bonus: Adults of a certain age may also enjoy seeing Peter Fonda nowhere near a motorcycle.
Talk to your kids about…
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Families can discuss other films that deal with values such as respecting elders and fulfilling obligations. Can you think of an example?
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The film also deals with peer pressure. Have you ever been pressured by your so-called friends to do something illegal and against the rules? How did you answer?
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The dog from the movie was adopted from a shelter. Families can discuss the stray animal epidemic and the good work humane shelters do to find homes for abandoned dogs.
Movie details
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On DVD or streaming
:
April 10, 2012
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Cast
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Jason London, Louis Gossett Jr. , Mira Sorvino , Peter Fonda -
Director
:
David M. Evans -
Opt-in information
:
Black actors, actresses
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Studio
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Phase 4 Movies -
Genre
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Family and children -
Themes
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Cats, dogs and mice, friendship, horses and farm animals -
Working hours
:
94 minutes
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MPAA rating
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MPAA explanation
:
mild thematic material and some language
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Last updated
:
January 16, 2025
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