Rio Review
Linda (voice of Leslie Mann) and Blu (voice of Jessie Eisenberg), brush their teeth together, they gargle together, they eat breakfast together, and they go to the bookstore (which Linda runs) together; and they do this almost everyday. No, this is not a married couple, this is a grown women and her exotic pet bird, Blu. Linda found Blu when she was young girl living in Minnesota; now as a grown women, she still owns Blu, and it’s her best friend. One day things dramatically change for Linda and Blu when Tulio, a man from Rio de Janeiro, enters into their lives. He informs Blu that he’s the last male of his species, but told him not to worry, because there is a female of his kind, named Jewel (voice of Anne Hathaway) living in Rio. So in order to continue this rare species, Linda, Blu and their new acquaintance, Tulio, head to South America, where they meet many interesting people and have many unusual, tropical adventures.
Rating: Four out of five buckets
Release Date: August 2, 2011
MPAA Rating: G
Best Age Group: Any age
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Talking Points:
One thing I didn’t mention in the synopsis is that Blu cannot fly. This was never a problem for a pet bird living in Minnesota. However, it is a problem for a bird living in the jungles of Brazil. Without giving too much of the movie away, I just want to mention that it was inspiring to see how Blu handled his handicap, and overcame his fears; something parents could chat with their kids about.
Blu meets many interesting friends, three of whom are the voices of George Lopez, Jamie Foxx, and The Black Eyed Peas’ Will.i.am. As you can imagine these characters add a lot of humor, music and entertainment to the film.
The animation is absolutely amazing; with the vibrant colors of the birds, and the beautiful scenery of Brazil, kids will be enthralled by the sites!
Though the theater was packed with little kids and their parents, it was very quiet. Kids laughed at the humorous parts of the movie; other than that they were attentive to the suspenseful film.
Sexual/Inappropriate Content: Mild
- Blu’s friends try to set the mood for the mating couple, this may also spark some great parent/child conversations.
- There is some adult humor, however it will most likely go over the kids’ heads.
- Women wear skimpy costumes during a carnival show.
Violent Content: Moderate
- As in many movies, there’s a theme of good vs. evil. There are some “mean birds” and villainous characters in the movie that may scare kids.
- One character is a big bully. He terrorizes other animals, he threatens to eat a group of scared birds, and he also threatens a monkey clan.
- After Blu meets his mate, they are kidnapped by villains. When they eventually escape, they are handcuffed together, this may frighten young kids.
Crude/Profane Language: Mild
- Words such as “butt,” “idiot,” and “shut up” are used in the movie.
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
- Some characters were drinking wine at dinner.
Overall Rio (Rated G) is an entertaining movie for the whole family. Rio demonstrates the importance of friendship, courage and forgiveness. The outstanding animation and fun characters will entertain the whole family.
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