When I was little, I was a clinger. I was the kid who would hide behind her mother and peek out at the world from the safety of her maxi skirt (it was the ‘70s). I also had a big brother who could do anything: he won all sports competitions, music competitions, academic competitions – and, it felt to me, my parents love and approval. I was Arlo.
Arlo is the protagonist in Pixar’s latest entry, The Good Dinosaur. The Apatosaurus is a triplet and he’s much smaller than his brother and sister, who are strong, capable and confident. He’s also the kind of kid who is afraid of his own shadow. It’s funny to think of one of the biggest creatures to ever roam the planet being afraid of anything, especially chickens and bugs, but Arlo is. Of course, we humans are afraid of small things as well, like spiders and rats. Or ladybugs. Or the imaginary monster in the closet. Likely, there are a lot of children who feel they too, are Arlo.
When Arlo gets separated from his family, alone and far from home, it’s his fear that drives him to try and get home…and that journey leads him to find out what he’s made of. Overcoming fear is the primary theme of the film, but this is no “there’s nothing to fear but fear itself” situation. The young Apatosaurus has some legit reasons to be frightened once he’s out on his own – like attacking vipers, hungry carnivores and deadly storms (and I do mean deadly…a main character does die in the film). Unfortunately, those same elements can scare sensitive younger children as well, comparable to the bear attack in Brave. My 5-year old, was enthralled and even smiled during some of the perilous scenes. However, my son’s Kindergarten friend whispered, “This is scary” several times and switched seats to be closer to me. When I brought him home, his dad said, “Oh, he’s afraid of everything.” Like Arlo.
Arlo is put into a situation where he must face his fears to survive. Most of our kids will not likely find themselves in that position and, therefore, while Arlo is relatable, I’m not sure there’s too much of a takeaway that’s truly applicable – except for one thing. Arlo’s Poppa takes him into a field of bugs and his boy is terrified. Then, Poppa shows him that the bugs are lightning bugs. Arlo is surrounded by the beauty created by the same thing he was initially fearful of, and Poppa wisely advises that fear can stop one from having extraordinary experiences. Perhaps the movie can inspire parents to find similar moments to help their children realize being scared can be a hindrance to their happiness.
As you may have gathered from the trailer, the sparkle of The Good Dinosaur isn’t the dino – it’s the human. Arlo finds a companion on his journey: a young, wild boy whom he names “Spot.” Spot becomes Arlo’s pet, in many ways, and serves him like a bloodhound. Spot doesn’t speak, so with Arlo spending most of the movie on his own or with Spot, minutes can go by in the movie without any or much dialogue. My boys mentioned the movie was “too long;” the running time is only 100 minutes, so you can probably translate that into, “kinda boring.” Those moments don’t last too long, though – it’s more like temporary seat shifting.
Ultimately, while this is Arlo’s journey of self-discovery, the foundation of the story is family. Poppa and Momma are loving, kind and firm parents to Arlo and try to find ways to help him thrive. His brother and sister may tease, but there’s love there. A wonderful adoption story exists, too, that brought tears to my eyes. The Good Dinosaur may alienate teens who may size up the animation style and think they’re too old for it, but when searching for a family film that can please everyone – children, siblings, aunts, uncles, moms, dads and grandparents – The Good Dinosaur is a good choice.
Check out more parent reviews from the Fandango Family Digital Network:
Dancing Hotdogs: Good Dinosaur Family Review
FiDi Families: Family Movie Review
All Things Fadra: What My Family Thought of Pixar's The Good Dinosaur
