I just took Lizzie on a special mommy-daughter date to see Despicable Me 2 and we loved it! (And yes, it was on my dime!) I am here to answer the question – Is Despicable Me 2 family friendly? Yes, I believe this is a perfect movie for young children.
Here are my basic thoughts on the movie:
1. The Minions Stole the Show
They were hilarious (as usual)! I loved them. Kevin, Jerry Stewart – the entire crew, all brought out the laughs in the theater. I won’t give out any spoilers, but they have a major role at the end of the movie and you will enjoy it. The best part about the minions is they don’t use words, they speak in jibberish. So their humor is entirely funny noises, slapstick and 100% clean. I am glad the filmmakers decided to make them a bigger focus this time around.
2. No adult humor
Save for some jokes about farting (21 fart gun salute, minions making raspberry noises) and a funny last name (Mr. Ramsbottom) all the jokes are just slap stick and clean. No bad language, sexual jokes, or jokes that were above Lizzie’s head and meant for knowing laughter of adults. This is by far my favorite thing about this movie!
And it is that clean and still funny. Yes, Hollywood, you can be successful and clean and wholesome.
3. Cartoon Violence
Parents, use your judgement. There is cartoon violence. Some kids have a difficulty understanding cartoon vs. reality, so consider the level of maturity of your children. One example is how the agent tasers Gru then stuff him in her trunk. It is done way over the top in a very hyperbolic, slapstick and cartoon way. Lizzie laughed and I enjoyed it – just know it is there before you go in and get surprised.
4. Still Funny For Adults
It was so much fun for adults. We don’t need sexual innuendoes, bad language or double entendres to enjoy a movie. I enjoyed the comedic timing, the intelligent jokes, slap stick comedy and the characters were very enjoyable. Steve Carrel does a fantastic job as Gru!
5. Should I see Despicable Me 2 in 3D?
We did not and it was just as enjoyable. They made this movie to be fun in 3D – there were a few scenes I could tell would have been way cool in 3D. But Lizzie hates the glasses and so 2D it was! Just like Tangled, this movie is fun either way.
I can definitely see my family owning this movie when it comes out on DVD. Has your family seen this movie? What were your thoughts?
My son has been dying to see this movie. Thank you for this wonderful review.
I CANNOT wait to see Despicable Me 2! We are planning on making it a family movie date – probably after BlogHer!
I think they only thing that could be considered unsure if is the bad guys helpers he uses near the end. They may look a bit scary to kids who are little. As for adults there’s a lot of jokes only the adults may get (nothing bad of course). Overall, there’s not much I can say because it would contain some sort of spoilers. I would like to quickly add on a few sites mention gay marriage has been brought up in this very briefly. Having seen the this, I did not see any hint at it. Gru’s minions (the yellow guys) do not have a gender really. The director said they are based of the idea of Jawas and Munchkin Men. But they do dress up in a man or woman’s clothing. But since they are genderless, it’s not a big issue. I think they dress up like for more of a comic reason such as a maid outfit as they clean the house. There is a VERY brief scene where two of them during a love song form a heart together with their hands and look at each other. But this song was a version of a popular boy band song about love. They were not looking at each as in love, so it’s nothing to worry about.
The film’s themes revolve around love, redemption, and the importance of family, which are beautifully woven into the story without any inappropriate content. It has been well-received by families and critics alike for its engaging storyline and visual appeal.
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