Mr. Peabody & Sherman

Voices of: Ty Burell, Max Charles, Ariel Winter, Lauri Fraser, Stephen Tobolowsky, Allison Janney, Dennis Haysbert, Stephen Colbert, Leslie Mann, Zach Callison, Stanley Tucci, Lake Bell, Patrick Warburton, Mel Brooks
Directed by: Rob Minkoff
Rating: PG
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
2014

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Mr. Peabody (Ty Burell) and Sherman (Max Charles) have adventures through time.

Review:

Tim: I have fond memories of Mr. Peabody and Sherman, from their segments in "The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show" from when I was a kid. I haven't thought about these two in a few decades, so there was definitely a nostalgia factor at play here. I also felt like these characters were given justice- they are enjoyable and unique, and here, they don't have to play second fiddle to that moose and squirrel. It helps that the movie is solid entertainment. I enjoyed the film and had a lot of fun watching it with my children.

The story feels very aligned with the original cartoon. Mr. Peabody has a time machine and the two use it to travel throughout history. Things take a crazy turn when Sherman's school rival, Penny, uses it and gets into trouble in the past. This creates a time-traveling adventure that teaches history while giving audiences colorful hijinks with these characters. It's a fun, informative, entertaining movie.

I really liked that the characters are intelligent and that's one of their defining characteristics. Too few children's shows like this put intelligence front and center. Bravery, sure. Charisma is often displayed. But, to tell an adventure story where the characters are extremely intelligent? That's amazing and offers great role models to kids.

The adventure is a compelling one, allowing these characters to jump throughout history. The script is strong, as it allows for a good deal of character development throughout the time traveling. I really appreciated how each of the main characters had something to learn, and that they came through their adventures different than when they started. That delivered a strong message to kids.

The voice cast was solid. I still had the original voice of Peabody in my head, so hearing Ty Burell was a little off-putting, but he does a good job. I enjoyed Max Charles and Ariel Winter in their roles. Patrick Warburton was memorable, as was Dennis Haysbert, who both have distinctive voices. Allison Janney helped bring her character to life. I didn't recognize Stephen Colbert or Leslie Mann in the moment, but they helped make their characters more memorable than they otherwise would have been. The rest of the cast was fine- I like Stanley Tucci a lot, and it was great to hear Mel Brooks, even if he has a small role. As a whole, there weren't really any standouts, but the cast worked well.

I thought the animation was sharp. The depiction of these characters was true to their origins, but certainly updated for the 2010s. There weren't any jaw-dropping moments, but the entire film looks great.

I really enjoyed Mr. Peabody & Sherman. I wasn't sure how my kids would take it. My five year-old son was definitely interested in the story. My not-quite two year-old daughter was much more focused than I would have expected. We actually watched the entire movie in one setting, which is exceedingly rare. I asked my son a few times if he wanted to pause, but he really wanted to keep going. That matters. This is a movie that holds your attention, entertains, and educates. It might not approach "classic" animated status, but it's an effective movie.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Turbo, The Croods