 
Ratatouille
Reviewed by: Misty Wagner Average
Moviemaking Quality:
 ½Primary Audience:
Kids, Family
Genre:
Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Kids, Family
Length:
1 hr. 50 min.
Year of Release:
2007
USA Release:
June 29, 2007 (wide)
           Relevant Issues
Cooking
Sin
Heaven
Are you good enough to get to Heaven? Answer How good is good enough? Answer  Animals
“A comedy with great taste.”
From Academy Award-winning director Brad Bird and Pixar Animation Studios comes RATATOUILLE. A heart warming story about being an outcast, unlikely friendships, believing in yourself and the courage to make the right choices, even when it may seem better to take the easier route. (RATATOUILLE has an incredibly talented cast of voices including Brian Dennehy, Brad Garrett, Janeane Garofalo, Ian Holm and Peter O’Toole.) RATATOUILLE’s main character is a rat named Remy who idolizes celebrity chef Gusteau (Brad Garret) whose motto is “Anyone can cook.” Mysteriously, Remy was born with an incredible sense of smell which helped him develop a knack and a passion for cooking. Making Gusteau’s recipes and catching his cooking show on television seem to be what Remy lives for, going so far as to risk his life each time he attempts it. Despite his father’s insistence to stay away from the kitchen, Remy can’t seem to stop doing the one thing he loves, and it is by his consistent disobedience that his entire family loses their home. In a dramatic scene, he is separated from them. By complete chance, Remy ends up at the late Gusteau’s restaurant in Paris. It is here that Remy unexpectedly meets Linguini, the outcast garbage boy. Together, they form, first a partnership, and then a true friendship—learning what it means to be selfless and to put others first. Their friendship paves the way for an incredible journey for each of them. One finds love, while the other learns the true meaning of family. Perhaps the most important lessons learned, though, are the invaluable ones about being honest with yourself and not limiting yourself to where you come from by diligently following your dreams, regardless of how small you are. The very title RATATOUILLE is a metaphor of the story. We learn that ratatouille is a peasant dish which Remy dreams into something exquisitely delicious. The bad:
Good:
In most films of the family genre, a happy ending is seen before the closing credits roll. RATATOUILLE is no exception. Because this is typically standard, I do not feel that I am giving anything away when I say that the way everything works out so beautifully (for everyone) is especially great in this film. I tend to be a metaphorical thinker, and instantly I was grateful for this particular ending. It tied in a lesson that I, as a parent, am always trying to explain to my children. God can take mistakes that we have made (even seemingly huge ones), and use them to make our lives far better than we’d ever imagined. This story is a great catapult for this, as well as many other discussions with our kids! Violence: Mild / Profanity: Mild / Sex/Nudity: None See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.  Comments available:
Positive
Positive - This is a lovely movie, with good-heartedness at the center. It is very much for children, not especially for adults. The dramatic action was somewhat predictable and a little too slow for me, an older adult. However, the quality of animation is superb, the script is clever and quite funny, and the thematic content is positive. This movie is worthy of its G-rating. I saw nothing that would upset or offend child or parent. Positive - Delightful movie. Beautifully shot. Many themes in the movie that parents can use to discuss Biblical ideas with children. As Remy is in conflict between his life as a rat and his involvement with the humans, his father reminds him he is a rat and that “we can’t change our nature.” We know that through the grace of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit we can “override” our basic nature. The Holy Spirit in us also directs our thoughts and decisions, just as Chef Gusteau does with Remy when he is thinking through a problem. Disobedience, commitment to a job well done, loyalty to friends, deception, greed, bearing false witness, reconciliation and forgiveness are other themes in the movie. Troubling points: There is a scene in which Skinner tries to get Linguini to confess by getting him drunk. And, Linguini is Chef Gusteau’s son, born out of wedlock. There is action to keep the film moving, and the scene where Ego tastes the ratatouille is inspired. Positive - Great movie! I laughed the whole way through! Positive - I thoroughly enjoyed this movie! The underlying meaning of being true to yourself and being honest and trustworthy really make this one a winner! I rate it right up there with “Finding Nemo,” in terms of storyline and plot. I think that most families will enjoy viewing this film together, as it appeals to adults as well as children. In terms of language, I heard only one instance of the H*** word, and it was used more or less as a reference to the place and not as an expletive. There is some action and suspenseful scenes, especially involving Remy as he tries to escape from the humans, but they aren't over the top, and Remy and his friends always come out unscathed. The scenes are not over-the-top and shouldn't be a problem except for the very youngest or most sensitive children. Most everyone will undoubtedly end up rooting for Remy! The story is very heartwarming and worth the trip to the theatre. The reviewer also did a very accurate job of describing the movie, in my opinion. It could also be a springboard for discussions with children about honesty, trust, and listening to your conscience (the Holy Spirit) as you make choices. Positive - Very good film. Very entertaining and CLEAN. I really liked the constant reinforcement that stealing is wrong. Even when done for survival. There is a very brief scene where we see a painter painting what could be a nude woman. Obviously nothing is shown, but the impression is given. Overall, another great family film by Pixar. Positive - Wow! Expect to be amazed by the incredible, extremely detailed animation and the solid story. The story is such that 3 times I predicted how it would turn and every time I was wrong, with Pixar doing a great job to keep me surprised. Towards the end there is a moment where I was very moved as the Evil character turns to Repentance and writes about his sins. A clean, G-rated slapstick comedy that big kids (also little) will enjoy, released in 2007? Unheard of… Please support Pixar and go see this movie with your family! Positive - I went to a sneak peek with my whole family. My kids range in age from 19 to 2. My 19 year old laughed the most. The little ones loved it, and it kept their attention. Cute film about being who you are meant to be. You can use this movie to teach your kids about how God creates each one of us special, and how we need to find out what it is we are supposed to do in the world. Once we find what we are created to do, we should do that to the best of our abilities. I compare this to a family of doctors who thinks that their son is supposed to be a doctor, but he knows he is supposed to be a musician. Positive - I went to this movie without the inclination to review it, but after having seen it, I noticed that a woman had struck one of the heroes and had even threatened to kill him with knives, etc. This, of course, gave great rounds of laughter to the audience. Imagine, please, if a MAN had struck a lady, etc. This would be on CNN as further examples of how the media encourages violence against women. Positive - Pixar comes out with the strangest concepts. Main characters have been toys, monsters, bugs, cars, and now, a rat. Everytime I wonder how they are going to make it work THIS time, and every time they do it. This is a charming and enjoyable movie. I found myself on the edge of my seat wondering how it was all going to work out, and the end was very satisfying. Positive - Is the statement, “Welcome to Hell,” no longer considered offensive to Christians and now is acceptable “to be used in everyday language” as stated in a portion of the MPAA Ratings Board??? I think not. This is a quote from the bad chef to the hero in the restaurant kitchen. We took our 5 & 9-year old grandsons to see this, & had this been a PG-rated movie, I wouldn't have been surprised, but when I take them to a G-rated movie, I don't expect to have to have to remind them about bad/unacceptable language. (There is also the question of the probably illegitimate child, which the movie could have easily presented another way.) We should be able to TRUST a G-RATING.… POSITIVE: It IS a good, cute movie, though, which I still would recommend. We adults AND the children thought it was delightful, enjoyed it, & give it high ratings. Positive - AWESOME movie! There is one bad word so be prepared. The small chef says h***. Also a bit of kissing! But it really is a funny movie! A must see! Go Remy! Positive - This was a great film and extremely funny. I took my husband to see it - he normally has to be dragged to cartoons, but he loved this movie. We were both laughing out loud throughout much of it. Also, we both love to cook and we both enjoy French food, so we were into that aspect of it. I also liked that it didn't have any potty humor, which seems to be so prevalent in our culture these days. Positive - Perhaps one of the best animations I've seen in a long time. The lighting effects and attention to detail was great. The characters really materialized well and the script was great. I was impressed that the cook stepped in and confessed about the mouse… and then let each one decide where their loyalties lie. There was one sentence by the cook 'Welcome to H…' that I believed they could have definitely left out. Overall a well-designed movie, and my wife and two sons, ages 15 and 10 really enjoyed it. Positive - I took my 7-yo son to see this, I thought it was very good. I love watching cooking shows, and so does my family, I think this was an added bonus. The characters we very well developed, the animations superb. It had a few slower parts, but it kept pace well. Direction was solid. One of the hardest things for PIXAR to do is live up to their best works, or even exceed them. New ideas, fresh plots, and better images is their greatest asset. Best of all the ending was great, yet predictable, somewhat, it was great. Applause was drawn from nearly half the audience. Positive - This was the best Pixar movie that I have ever seen. I went into this movie thinking it would be boring or just plain stupid. It had a great story line very good animation. There was nothing crude in it in the least. I have four younger siblings that all saw it ranging from 14 - 5 years old and they all loved it.… Positive - Put simply this movie is absolute Genius. The quality of the animation was great, story was excellent, and it was funny. What more could you ask for a film aimed at kids? So any bad stuff? Not really, but then again I am not a parent so some stuff may have gone over my head. The one thing that might be little dodgy biblically was Skinner getting Linguini drunk, which is played for laughs. But making a judgment on an entire film on the basis of one scene, which parents can explain to their children about after the film, seems a little extreme to me. Positive - From Pixar, the premier 3D animation studio in the world had done again with “Ratatouille”. It is a simple story about a rat dreaming of becoming a cook and the making of an unlikely friendship in the process. This is one for the library for it's creative story, inventive scenery, and strong characterization. It is about tolerance, making dreams come true, and knowing one's own potential or lack their of. It also gives us a glimpse into the culinary culture. A dish is more than it's presentation on a platter. Positive - This lovely film is very cute, and I would say it is a 4/5. My sister thinks it was the best movie ever; she is 22 I did not like some parts, cause some parts were kind of gross in the first few scenes—all the rats come together and the part was very gross cause seeing all the rats and how many of them there were was kinda gross to see. Otherwise, it was a cute film with no rude humor, no cussing, no cursing. There is one part of the movie were the main character gets his shirt held down with knives. but that’s about all folks. Enjoy the movie. Neutral
Neutral - We took our almost 4 years old daughter to see this today, and by the end she was ready to go. I do not feel that there is enough color and action to keep the attention of young children. It barely kept my attention. If I had a pillow, I could have taken a nap during the movie. Neutral - Although entertaining, to give this movie a G-rating is misleading and indicates a corruption of the rating system. There are many scenes that should not have qualified for a G-rating. The use of the word He**. The scene where the character pulls out his pants as a possible hiding place for the rat. The drinking and other scenes that have been mentioned by other reviewers here. Any one of these, although not overly objectionable, should not qualify for a G-rating. I, for one, would like to see a strict guideline followed so that when a parent sees that a movie has the G-Rating they can take their kids to see it and know there are not any even questionable scenes or language. My objection is not at all to the movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and so did my early teenage kids. My concern is with the erosion of the rating system! Neutral - I thought the movie was boring. All of the funny shots were used in the trailer for the movie. The graphics are amazing, but the story lost steam quickly. Neutral - Our whole family went to see this film the other night. I was very impressed with the film overall. The animation was amazing. The movie was clean and I felt safe watching it the whole time with my four and five year old sons. This film also portrayed good morals regarding loyalty, friendship, trust, family, telling the truth, responsibility, and perseverance in following your dreams. The problem I had watching the film was the story line and trying to understand it from a child's perspective. I think most children (between 2-10) aren't going to grasp the seriousness and stress of making it in the professional cooking business and how food critics can make or break a restaurant. Also, most children aren't going to understand the silliness and irony of a rat who likes saffron and knows all the names of expensive cheeses. Neutral - This movie had violence, a couple of scenes of kissing, the phrase 'welcome to hell' and potentially other offensive language. “Ratatouille” really wasn't as exciting as some of the other Pixar movies, but had a cute plotline. I LOVED the emphasis on not stealing… Also, seeing that because of Remy stealing food, it led to bigger and bigger consequences and really, he became a slave to stealing more and more food for his family members (which he didn't do out of necessity). After he made poor choices, he made the right choice and learned from his mistakes, and didn't repeat them. Also, this wasn't the usual, man is evil, animals/nature are pure and good. This portrayed man as good and creative. And that we all work together which was REFRESHING! This was cute, but there were a few scenes they could have left out to the betterment of the movie. Negative
Negative - I saw this movie with a 5 year old (that is not my child) expecting it to be a fun experience. The film's violence is extreme for young children. There were 3 other young children in the theatre that were visibly upset and cried during many of the parts in the movie. I could even hear them pleading with their parents to take them home. If I had been with my older children, the violence would have probably escaped me as I, and unfortunately them, have become desensitized to it. But being with a five year old I was able to see through his reactions, the amount of violence this film has. Many reviews I have read discuss the 'mild violence', revealing that the writer was not with a young child. My 5 year old accomplice sat on my lap for comfort and asked 'are they dead', 'did she stab him', 'why are they trying to kill him', 'is he lost'. I am not sure why we stayed through this film. I guess my own conditioning, 'it's a Disney film, it's good for children'. As I reflect on this, I was wrong, no child under the age of 9 has any business seeing this movie unless he or she unfortunately has become desensitized to violence. Negative - I took my 5 year old and almost 3 year old to see this movie. The movie is not as entertaining as other Pixar films, and I felt there were more negatives than positives. My oldest son left the theater asking lots of questions about guns. Not an appropriate thing to take with you from a G-movie. If your children are older, it could be entertaining, but I feel the movie could have been made without the guns. Negative - I am very disappointed with Disney & Pixar. This could have been a great family movie if some things would have been either left out, changed, or adjusted a bit. This DEFINATELY NEEDS TO BE RATED PG!! I am upset that I didn't look at the reviews BEFORE taking my 4 year old to see it, but I figured being rated G it would be safe. WRONG! First… the plot was cute, and it did teach that bad things happen if you don't do what you know is right… (stealing, etc…), but evidently the writers feel that it is ok to THREATEN someone with a GUN or KNIFE, tell someone that if they don't do as you say that you will KILL THEM, or constantly be hateful and try to make others feel beneath you. And excessive wine drinking… what place does that have in a '“children's” movie? These were all in the movie. Negative - I found the movie had too many negative elements, especially for a film rated 'G'. The movie has 7 or more scenes where the character(s) are drinking wine; they acknowledge that it is wine - the bottle is there, as is a glass, and they even talk about it being a drink & drinking. There is one scene where a character actually tries go get the main character drunk in an attempt to gain information from him. At the end of the scene he does accomplish getting him drunk, as you can see him holding his wine glass, and he has altered speech. Most of the scenes with wine are set with the characters pouring a glass of wine and toasting, although every time someone is eating in the restaurant—or scenes in the office—they are drinking a glass of wine. Other negative elements include: a mention of an affair between characters, the main storyline is also of discovering someone had a son he didn't know about, many violent chases, a long scene where a woman is shooting her house up trying to kill the rat, a grim scene where rats are in a window—hanging from their neck/throats & they are dead, 2 passionate kisses exchanged between characters—one being after the rat witnesses a female holding a male at gunpoint, and he says “You won't do it” (as if to mimic a domestic dispute between a couple in their home), and she drops the gun, and they passionately kiss, a female slaps the main character across the face, and he falls to the ground, they say “shut up” twice, and “Welcome to hell,” a threat from one character to another when she says “I'll kill you” (if he doesn't do what she advised him to do). Although there was a mention of heaven, it left out the fact that we don't get to heaven by just believing it is there, when the main character explains that his mother died, but it's okay because “she believed in heaven, so she's covered.” The storyline includes lots of stealing and theft of food by the rats which they even focus on at times throughout the movie. Would not recommend this movie to young children. Negative - I was saddened and disappointed that this otherwise entertaining and worthwhile film revealed that Linguini was the (illegitimate) son of the late chef Gasteau, conceived by a “lady friend.” I wish that Pixar would have portrayed the young man as the chef's long lost nephew instead. …While we typically don't see contemporary “mature” movies, because we expect them to contain questionable material, I thought this movie would be safe for the entire family. I continue to be troubled that we Christians condone immoral behavior—especially in CHILDREN'S movies! Negative - I found “Ratatouille” to be extremely offensive. Their were a few scenes in which the rat pranced around the kitchen wearing no undergarments. And you call this a children's film? Also, the main character in this film's main ambition was to take over the world with his food. He also is a very disobedient son, and shows greed on many occasions by only wanting the money that will be produced through the rat's cooking skills. Also, there is blood, including an extreme amount of violence and torture towards the rats. And these are animals created by God? Just to be abused? Negative - Our whole family attended this G-rated movie, and I left thinking I had misread the rating. There is no way that this is appropriate for all audiences. My sons are 8 and 11 and I would not have taken them to see this had I known all the language and themes that were present. The promotion of alcohol consumption was offensive and very obvious to my 11 year old. My husband looked at me and said that was a dumb movie that I can't believe was rated G. We will not buy the DVD. Negative - …I figured that a movie about a rat couldn't be very bad; it is a children's movie rated G. So we rented it. Here are the warnings- Comments from young people
Positive - I went to see this movie with a friend of mine, and we both loved it. Although some people may think that Remy was a disobedient rat, I really don't think that is what the movie was implying. Some people actually are different from their families, and I believe that in Remy's case this is the situation. Although there were a few things that did not need to be in the movie (such as a scene where a woman almost shoots a man, and the old lady in the house shooting the rats was a little extreme) I thought that this was a great movie for families. I would actually change the rating to a PG, however, since it isn't really something for children under 5 or 6. Positive - As a big Pixar fan, I thoroughly enjoyed “Ratatouille”! It was so hilarious… I couldn't stop laughing!! And the animation was simply breathtaking, particularly the scene where Remy looks over Paris for the very first time. The only part I found objectionable was when Linguini found out he was Gusteau's son, but it wasn't overemphasized in the film. Everything was very funny and light-hearted, and it was definitely a comedy treat! My sister and I had a great time watching this, and we're both sure you'll love it to! My advice? Go see it. Take your family (even the youngest member). And grab a few friends too. Because this is one summer movie that has something for everyone (yes… even for the young at heart!) Positive - I'm a big fan of all the Pixar movies, and this was no exception. It's hard to compare it to “Toy Story” or “Monsters Inc.” because it's so different, but that's part of what makes it good. It was funny and cute. There was a little bit of cartoon violence, and a few kissing scenes, but nothing worse than the average fairy tale romance. …very clean compared to most animated movies these days, and I would definitely take kids to see this. Positive - This movie was everything that I expected from a Pixar film. The beginning was a little slow, but it picked up after around 20 minutes into it and never stopped picking up speed. It was funny, heartwarming, and a GREAT movie! I was a little grossed out with the scenes with all of the rats together invading houses and the restaurant, so you might want to be a little wary with your kids. But, in the movie industry and with everyone trying to push immoral values onto us, this film definitely was a breath of fresh air. Even though there was a tiny bit of kissing, and the moviegoer does find out that the main character had a child out of wedlock (that will pass over little kids’ heads), the main story-line was truly amazing and really was not a waste of money. Go see it! Positive - “Ratatouille” is a fantastic and touching tale, but parents of the younger kids should be wary. A character is drunk at one point, and there are several violent scenes (no blood/gore/serious injury or any of that, but still…). The MPAA definitely should have given this one a PG-rating. That is my ONLY negative reaction to this. Well, mostly. Early on, one of the characters makes a comment about a dead family member “Don't worry. She believed in heaven, so she's covered.” Of course, believing in heaven doesn't = believing is Jesus. You might want to discuss this with the young ones. Positive - I highly anticipated this film, and true to their reputation, Pixar has served up (sorry for the pun) another masterpiece. All of their movies have incredible depth and polish to them, and “Ratatouille” is certainly no exception. On the positive note, the film is engaging and quality, never ceasing to surprise. All of the characters are well-developed and endearing. As always, the graphics are absolutely stunning. Amazingly, there is not a single “Oh my G*d” or swear word in the entire film(!). On the slightly negative note, although to be expected in a story set in a French restaurant, there is plenty of wine referenced (and drunk to the point of intoxication, by one of the main characters) and some fairly lengthy kissing. None of it is done tastelessly, but is in there nonetheless. Parents be warned, although this is animated, the plot is very mature and will probably go over kids' heads; however, for those who can appreciate the maturity, the film is an absolute work of art. I would highly recommend it, but with discretion to age of the viewer. Positive - Pixar has done it again! From the animation studios that brought “Toy Story,” “Monsters Inc.,” “Finding Nemo,” and “The Incredibles,” we can now add “Ratatouille” to the list of great ones. After Pixar came out with “Cars” (which was probably the most disappointing Pixar movie yet to me), I didn't exactly have high expectations for this movie, at all. But since it was a Pixar movie, I decided to go see it… and it was hilarious. The humor in this movie is basically brought to us by Linguini (the clumsy garbage boy), and when he and Remy team up, you will laugh and that's guaranteed. It's, as always, a great family movie that kids and adults will love, and is it any surprise that John Ratzenberger is in another Pixar movie? Positive - I really love this movie! It had great morals for young kids. Like stealing is wrong and being yourself. It was beyond funny and will hold your attention. My mom thought that the beginning was a bit slow, but I still love it. Certain kids under the age of 6 might not like it. There is mention of wine, but when your a cook that's how it is. It has a lot of lovable characters. I've seen it twice, and I am hoping to see it again. It was way better than “Cars.” It is worth the money. Trust me. Positive - This movie was hilarious and excellent! Although there was one suggestion, 'he was messing around with the ring leader's daughter' and the H*** word, the movie was pure and enjoyable for everyone! Positive - I LOVED IT! When I saw the commercials I said, 'That looks DUMB! A rat? Pfft!' But then I went with my BFF's for a birthday party and I laughed ALL through it! I especially loved Linguini's laugh! I do say that when it shows the WHOLE colony of rats it kinda grossed me out. My mom didn't see it because of the rats! But don't let that stop you from seeing it! It has many funny jokes for all ages. My mom actually ended up seeing it for my brothers birthday and she said she actually liked it! Go and see it! TWO TAILS UP!! Positive - “Ratatouille” is a great movie! I saw it with my mom, my friend, and her 5-year old brother. I thought this movie was going to be for little kids and I wasn't going to like it. I was wrong. I wouldn't say it isn't for younger kids, but my friends brother wasn't really interested in it, Most of the film was way over his head. But my friend and I were truly captivated throughout the movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The animation was terrific, acting was great, and it is a movie set in Paris, so everything had to have that rich, romantic quality, which I feel it definitely had. The only thing I didn't really like was when Linguini explains about his mother's death, stating that she believed in heaven, so I guess he thought she went there. But of course, just because you believe in heaven doesn't mean your going there. Got to believe in Jesus to get to heaven! Overall, a great family film! I loved it! Neutral - This movie was OK, but I was really expecting more from a Pixar film. It had a fine, well rounded plot, but it wasn't really funny, and there was nothing special about. Perhaps my expectations were a bit high, but that's my take. Oh, and it's totally clean, which is commendable. Positive - Terrific film! I needed a laugh after watching somewhat dark “Spider-Man 3.” Very young viewers might find Ego, the food critic, somewhat frightening. Other then that, I can't find any other reasons not to recommend this movie for all ages. Do not watch this movie expecting to be bored. This possibly contends with “Monsters Inc.” and definitely pones Cars. Possibly Pixar's best. Positive - At first I thought this move was just another cute, 7 year old movie. I was wrong. Remy is cute, and there are some funny puns. As for the supposed 'naked lady picture'. I have no memory of it. If I did notice it, it was probably so subtle that it rolled right off my back. It is true that when Remy is in the wall and watching the couple was not quite appropriate for young children, but I think teens would find it very funny! This movie is very cute for young children (except for the kissing scenes) and it has funny puns that only teens would get. Overall, a funny movie for 8-13 year olds. |
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