RatatouilleMovie Reviews

Poster art for "Ratatouille."

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Must Go!
Avg. Critic Score: 96 out of 100 Universal acclaim Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
5 OK for kids 5+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 100
    Chicago Sun-Times | Roger Ebert

    This is clearly one of the best of the year's films. Every time an animated film is successful, you have to read all over again about how animation isn't "just for children" but "for the whole family," and "even for adults going on their own." No kidding! Read full review

  • 100
    The Hollywood Reporter | Kirk Honeycutt

    Brad Bird and Pixar recapture the charm and winning imagination of classic Disney animation. Read full review

  • 100
    San Francisco Chronicle | Peter Hartlaub

    Ratatouille is a classic. Read full review

  • 100
    The New York Times | A.O. Scott

    A nearly flawless piece of popular art, as well as one of the most persuasive portraits of an artist ever committed to film. It provides the kind of deep, transporting pleasure, at once simple and sophisticated, that movies at their best have always promised. Read full review

  • 100
    Los Angeles Times | Kenneth Turan

    Ratatouille is as audacious as they come. It takes risks and goes places other films wouldn't dare, and it ends up putting rival imaginations in the shade. Read full review

  • 100
    Variety | Justin Chang

    Ratatouille is delicious. In this satisfying, souffle-light tale of a plucky French rodent with a passion for cooking, the master chefs at Pixar have blended all the right ingredients -- abundant verbal and visual wit, genius slapstick timing, a soupcon of Gallic sophistication -- to produce a warm and irresistible concoction that's sure to appeal to everyone's inner Julia Child. Read full review

  • 90
    Washington Post | Desson Thomson

    Observed mostly from Remy's rat's-eye view, Gusteau's kitchen is a memorable world-in-miniature with its vivid old-fashioned stoves, bright, brassy pots and general air of frenzied industry; never did sliced red onions or simmering soup look so fresh and real. Read full review

  • 88
    Rolling Stone | Peter Travers

    What makes Ratatouille such a hilarious and heartfelt wonder is the way Bird contrives to let it sneak up on you. Read full review

  • 88
    USA Today | Claudia Puig

    Like the best French cuisine, Ratatouille is ambitious and delightful. Read full review

  • 75
    Entertainment Weekly | Owen Gleiberman

    Ratatouille is a blithe concoction, as well as a miraculously textured piece of animated design. Read full review

View more reviews for Ratatouille on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says OK for kids 5+ Cute rat tale is kid-friendly but adults may like it more!
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that Disney has spared no expense to market its latest Pixar film to kids. Even preschoolers who can't pronounce the title will know about the movie with the cooking rat. Like all of Pixar's other films, this movie includes nuanced humor (about the French, haute cuisine, food critics, etc.) and references aimed directly at adults. Not surprisingly for an animated kids' movie, the main protagonist, Linguini, is an orphan -- although at least he's a young adult and not a child. There's some light peril involving the rats and weapon-wielding humans, but it's harmless and comical.
  • Families can talk about what made kids want to see this movie -- the story or all of the advertising? Does it matter that the title is hard to spell/pronounce or that the main characters are rats?
  • Do kids know the Pixar brand name? Does that make them more likely to want to see something?
  • Families can also discuss the film's theme -- pretending to be something you're not. Linguini takes credit for Remy's cooking ideas in order to look like a chef, and Remy turns away from his rat family to be with his human friends and eat good food. How does pretending catch up to each of them?
The good stuff
  • educationalvalue true1 Educational value: Kids can't help but pick up a few pointers on cooking and food, but the movie's primary intent is to entertain, not educate.
  • message true3 Positive messages: Linguini learns to give credit to his rat pal, and Remy realizes that his family connections are more important than his human ones. On the down side, two chefs in the kitchen are very hostile to Linguini, which could make some kids uncomfortable.
  • rolemodels true3 Positive role models: Remy doesn't let the fact that he's an unconventional chef prevent him from following his dreams, and Linguini learns to stand up for what he believes in. They both make mistakes, but they learn from them. There are several jokes at the expense of the French ("Sorry to be rude, but we're French," etc.).
What to watch for
  • violence false1 Violence and scariness: Remy is hunted by an angry, gun-toting grandma and knife-throwing chefs. One chef is rumored to be an ex-con and looks menacingly at the rest of the kitchen staff. The sewer sequence early in the movie is somewhat scary.
  • sex false1 Sexy stuff: Linguini and Colette flirt, embrace, and kiss.
  • language false1 Language: A few mild insults: "stupid," "loser," etc.
  • consumerism false0 Consumerism: Not an issue
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false1 Drinking, drugs and smoking: It's France, and no French meal is served without a good bottle of wine.
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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Dave White

5.0

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… so fantastically strong … Read full review See Dave White's on MOVIENAME on Movies.com

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