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"RUGRATS IN PARIS - THE MOVIE"
(2000) (voices of Christine Cavanaugh, Susan Sarandon) (G)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Minor Minor Heavy *Mild None
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Mild None Mild None None
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Minor None Mild Mild Mild


QUICK TAKE:
Children's Animated: While in Paris, a group of young kids try to find one of their friends a new mom while stopping his dad from marrying a conniving businesswoman who doesn't love him and hates kids.
PLOT:
Chuckie Finster (voice of CHRISTINE CAVANAUGH) is two-year-old boy who, along with his now single dad, Chas Finster (voice of MICHAEL BELL), misses his dead mother and wants a new one. He hopes that his older, obnoxious friend, Angelica (voice of CHERYL CHASE) - who's adopted a "Godfather" type persona after seeing a few scenes from that movie - can deliver his wish, but she's already busy dealing with her younger cousins, one-year-old Tommy (voice of E.G. DAILY) and three-month-old Dil Pickles (voice of TARA CHARENDOFF), and their fifteen-month-old friends, twins Phil and Lil Deville (voice of KATH SOUCIE).

Chuckie's wish briefly gets sidetracked when Tommy's inventor dad, Stu (voice of JACK RILEY), is summoned to Paris, France to repair his robotic dinosaur invention, Reptar, that's the star of a show at EuroReptarland, a Japanese theme park located there. It seems that Coco La Bouche (voice of SUSAN SARANDON), the demanding and self-centered manager of the theme park, went berserk over the malfunction, and wants her assistants, Jean-Claude (voice of JOHN LITHGOW) and Kira Watanabe (voice of JULIA KATO) to have it fixed as soon as possible.

As such, the entire Rugrats clan accompanies Stu and other parents to Paris, much to the chagrin of Coco who can't stand kids. She changes her mind, however, when she learns that her corporate boss is stepping down and looking for a family friendly replacement. The only problem is that she's single, but when Angelica overhears her dilemma, she offers Coco a deal to fix her up with Chas in exchange for various personal favors.

From that point on, and as Chuckie becomes enamored with the thought of a Japanese princess becoming his new mother, Coco does what she can to infiltrate Chas' life, despite his attraction to Kira, who has a daughter of her own, Kimi (voice of DIONNE QUAN). As Coco tries to get Chas to like and then marry her as quickly as possible, the Rugrats do what they can to stop that from happening while finding Chuckie a new mom.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
If they enjoy(ed) the TV show or the first Rugrats films, they probably will, but the film is obviously aimed at young kids.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: G
For not containing material to warrant a higher rating.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS: While it's unclear whether kids view cartoon characters as role models, here's a quick look at the characters.
  • CHUCKIE is a tentative two-year-old who wants a new mother.
  • ANGELICA is an older, obnoxious and self-centered child.
  • TOMMY is Chuckie's adventurous one-year-old friend.
  • PHIL & LIL are two young twins who are always getting into mischief and are preoccupied with poopy jokes.
  • KIMI is their new friend, the daughter of Kira, who shows them around the theme park.
  • COCO is a conniving theme park manager who hates kids but will do whatever it takes - including fooling Chas into marrying her - to get a promotion.
  • JEAN-CLAUDE is her assistant who follows her orders without questioning them.
  • CHAS is Chuckie's lonely dad who's tentatively entering the dating scene once again.
  • KIRA is another of Coco's assistants who eventually breaks away from her when she realizes what her boss is up to.
  • STU is one of the parents and the inventor of Reptar.
  • CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

    HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


    Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
    Then read OUR TAKE of this film.


    (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).


    OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
    The following is a brief summary of the content found in this G-rated film. Like most G-rated, animated films that are aimed at kids, this one contains non-lethal and mostly non-malicious violence (some slapstick material, property destruction, some pushing, etc.) and some moments that may be a bit unsettling or scary to some kids (all dependent on their age, level of maturity and tolerance for such material).

    Like the first Rugrats film and the TV series, it also contains scatological material geared to make kids laugh via many comments about dirty diapers, farting sounds and the like. While no profanity is present, some phrases are uttered that kids might want to imitate (along with some actions/behavior), and some cartoon nudity is present in the form of several glimpses of bare cartoon baby butts.

    Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes (all done in an appropriately cartoonish fashion), while some thematic issues are present such as a boy and his father missing their dead mother/wife and the former wanting a new mother. Should the preceding summary not answer your concerns about the film and its appropriateness for anyone in your home who wishes to see it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed content listings for more specific examples of what occurs in the film.

    For those concerned with the flashing of bright lights on the screen, some of that occurs in a dream scene as well as during a stage play.


    ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • We briefly see a couple on a boat with some wine.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • Kid-based scatological material includes talk of "boogers;" Angelica telling one of the boys to pick something already and then clarifying that by saying that she didn't mean his nose; one of the kids joking that dates lead to "poopy;" a person states that they smell a "ripey diapey" (ripe diaper); a bag found on a plane contains either warm vomit or poop (we see the steam coming from it); we see a wet spot form and spread at a toddler's clothed crotch; spotting some sumo wrestlers in their traditional thong-like bottoms, one of the kids comments that the clothing must be "one stinky diaper"; we see a dog urinate on the base of the Eiffel Tower; Dil vomits on Coco; a flatulent bubble comes up in some goo from behind a pig prop in an amusement park ride; the twins then put that goo into their diapers (and we later see a green flatulent bubble rise out of one's diaper with the other stating they thought that only occurred in the bathtub - later one belches out a green bubble); one comments on a cookie in some goo looking like a booger; we briefly see an adult man sitting on a toilet that's just been exposed as the Porta-potty around him is knocked aside (but we don't see any nudity or bodily functions); and we hear a kid fart and another then mentions the need to open a window.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • Angelica has a bossy/conceited/demanding attitude toward others.
  • Angelica takes a pacifier from one baby and gives it to Dill to pacify him.
  • Coco is a mean and demanding businesswoman who will do anything to get ahead in her job, including fooling Chas into marrying her so that she can get a promotion from her family-oriented boss. She also hates kids, and Jean-Claude is her assistant who helps her with her evil deeds.
  • Angelica eats most of Coco's chocolates without asking permission.
  • When Kimi states that she won't stand by and watch Coco ruin Chas and Chuckie's lives, Coco kicks her out of their limo and onto the sidewalk.
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • Depending on the age and maturity level of your child, the following may or may not be suspenseful or scary to them.
  • As Chuckie goes up to a door, the animal head knocker on it (that looks something like a boar) suddenly glows and looks menacing (while a tiny bit of suspenseful music plays and a slightly monstrous sound emanates from it). He later sees the same again at a church door.
  • Chuckie has a dream that contains some slightly menacing looking figures chasing after him (also accompanied by music), but he quickly takes control as "Chuckie Chan" and fends them off with his martial arts moves (meaning it's no longer a scary dream).
  • Some kids may find a scene consisting of a large, metallic dinosaur (Reptar) briefly menacing some people in a Japanese-themed play as somewhat unsettling or suspenseful. They might feel the same way about the ending of the film where the kids race to stop Coco from marrying Chas while inside Reptar, the large, robotic dinosaur.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • None.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "Nincompoop," "I smell a ripey diapey (ripe diaper), "Babe magnet" (how another adults classifies Chas), "Wretched dust mops," "A baby's gotta do what a baby's gotta do," "You bumbling idiot," "Knuckleheads," "It's a nerd, it's a pain, it's Angelica" (instead of "It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Superman") and "I see London, I see France, I see Coco's underpants (said by a kid when Coco's wedding dress is torn away, briefly revealing her undergarments).
  • The Deville twins climb up a wedding cake at a reception.
  • While on a plane and listening to headphones, Angelica rhythmically kicks her food tray that then bounces the seat in front of her.
  • Some of the Rugrats eat dropped food they find on the floor/under the seats on a plane, while most of them are generally disruptive on the plane.
  • The kids make a mess of a hotel bathroom (throwing toilet paper around, etc.).
  • Angelica ties Jean-Claude's shoelaces together so that he'll fall when he tries to chase/stop them.
  • The kids and then the adults get into a huge, but playful food fight at a wedding reception.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • None.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • A bit of suspenseful music plays in a few scenes during the movie.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • None.
  • PROFANITY
  • None.
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • We see a Rugrat's bare butt as he dances on a revolving turntable.
  • We briefly see another of the Rugrats' bare butts.
  • We see some sumo wrestlers dressed in their traditional outfits and working as waiters in a restaurant (and thus see several views of part of their bare butts).
  • We briefly see another part of one Rugrat's bare butt.
  • As Coco's dress is torn away in the back, we briefly see her in her undergarments (nothing risqué).
  • SMOKING
  • None.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • Chuckie and his dad miss their deceased mother/wife and talk about her in a few scenes. In one, Chuckie imagines seeing images of him and his mom in the clouds, and he longs for a new mother.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • Scenes listed under "Imitative Behavior."
  • The aftereffects of losing a parent. Here, Chuckie wants a new mom and both he and his dad miss the late Mrs. Finster (Chas looks at old photos of her and they talk about her being in Heaven, etc.).
  • The kids discover a bidet in their French hotel.
  • VIOLENCE
  • The head of a large, mechanical dinosaur accidentally falls off and crashes through part of a theater, destroying some of it.
  • The in-flight movie on an airplane shows some brief martial arts fighting.
  • Angelica pushes some of the other kids out of the way so that she can grab the front seat in their ride from the airport.
  • We briefly see two cars crash into each other as they avoid hitting a dog.
  • Some slapstick material includes guards/security personnel slipping and falling while chasing the kids.
  • Coco and Chuckie briefly have a tug of war with his teddy bear.
  • A large vase nearly hits Dil and shatters on the floor.
  • When Kimi states that she won't stand by and watch Coco ruin Chas and Chuckie's lives, Coco kicks her out of their limo and onto the sidewalk.
  • Controlled by the Rugrats inside it, a large mechanical dinosaur (Reptar) smashes through a wall and then various city structures as they guide it through Paris (but few, if any, will find it scary/disturbing) and some cars crash while trying to avoid Reptar.
  • A large robotic snail (controlled by Jean-Claude) then briefly battles Reptar, with the snail swinging Reptar around and around in circles until it lets go and the dinosaur lands on the Eiffel Tower. The creatures then briefly fight once more with Reptar pulling the robotic snail's eye and then letting it go, causing it to snap in place and send the snail off a bridge (but no one is harmed).
  • Reptar's head flies off and smashes into a car (but no one is harmed).



  • Reviewed November 11, 2000 / Posted November 17, 2000

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