"CURIOUS GEORGE" (2006) (voices of Will Ferrell, Drew Barrymore) (G) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Minor Minor Moderate *Mild Minor Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate None Mild None None Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence None Minor Moderate Moderate Mild QUICK TAKE: Children's Animated: A museum worker must contend with a curious chimp, all while trying to save his institution from closing. PLOT: Ted (voice of WILL FERRELL) is a guide at the Bloomsberry museum whose fervent attention to detail might bore the school children, but has caught the romantic attention of one of the school teachers, Maggie (voice of DREW BARRYMORE) who keeps bringing her students back for additional educational visits. Yet, that might end when museum owner Mr. Bloomsberry (voice of DICK VAN DYKE) states that they're going to have to close due to low attendance. That's good news to his adult son, Junior (voice of DAVID CROSS), who wants to build a parking lot where the museum stands, but Ted knows he has to do something to save the day. Remembering that Bloomsberry was once an explorer, Ted reminds him of his quest long ago to find the Shrine of Zagawa. Bloomsberry's too old to take up such activities again, but thinks it's a grand idea for Ted. Outfitted in a yellow hat and suit that makes him look like a walking banana, the inexperienced archaeological explorer sets sail for Africa where, with the aide of local guide Edu (voice of MICHAEL CHINYAMURINDI), he thinks he's found the shrine. Only it turns out to be just a few inches tall. Disappointed, Ted calls Bloomsberry and sends him a photo of the miniature monkey statuette. With nothing to give it any perspective, however, the owner thinks it's enormous and thus sets out to prepare the museum and the public for the "enormous" find. Unaware of that, Ted returns stateside, similarly oblivious to the fact that a playfully mischievous and curious monkey -- actually a chimp that he nicknamed George -- has stowed away on the ship. Back in the big city, Ted sees Bloomsberry's promotions for the archaeological find, but is unable to tell his boss the truth or show him just how small the artifact really is. Besides, he's got his hands full with George who's just as capricious as before, meaning he has to keep him hidden from his apartment building's super, Ivan (voice of ED O'ROSS), as well as the snobby Miss Plushbottom (voice of JOAN PLOWRIGHT). While trying to keep the "monkey" out of trouble, and with the aid of his inventor friend Clovis (voice of EUGENE LEVY), Ted tries to figure out how to save the day and not disappoint Mr. Bloomsberry, Maggie or the public who are eagerly awaiting his delivery of the African artifact. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Younger kids probably will, but older ones might think it looks too juvenile for them. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: G For not containing material to warrant a higher rating. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: TED is a museum guide whose tours bore the kids but draw the romantic attention of Maggie. When he learns the museum is to close, he inadvertently volunteers to go to Africa to find a potentially lucrative artifact. Instead, he finds a tiny statuette, along with George, but can't find it within himself to inform Mr. Bloomsbury of the truth regarding the find after the latter misinterprets Ted's message. From that point on, Ted tries to figure out what to do, all while trying to keep George in check. GEORGE is a young and playfully mischievous chimp who's drawn to Ted and enjoys hand painting and other mischief. MAGGIE is a school teacher who's taken a liking to Ted. MR. BLOOMSBERRY is the museum owner who gets excited about the find after misinterpreting Ted's report back to him. JUNIOR plays his adult son who's jealous of his father's fondness for Ted over him and does everything in his power to ruin Ted and thus cause the museum to close (he wants to build a parking lot in its place). EDU is the African guide who assists Ted in finding the artifact. IVAN is the super in Ted's apartment building who tries to sniff out any pets that might be there, including George. CLOVIS is Ted's inventor friend who tries to help him come up with a solution for his miniature artifact problem. 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 children's film. A number of colorful phrases are present, as is other behavior that potentially might be enticing for some kids to imitate (including staring into the sun). Some bad attitudes are on display (including an adult character being upset by thinking his dad views another man as more of a son than him), while some slapstick style material (characters running into or being hit by things, some falling and landing hard, etc.) also occurs and a person is accidentally shot with a tranquilizer dart. It's possible that some scenes in the film could be unsettling or suspenseful to the youngest of viewers, but probably not to anyone else. A tiny bit of crude humor is present, while a long shot of people on a boat seems to show one holding a drink and another with a cigarette holder in their hand. Beyond that, the rest of the categories have little or nothing in the way of potentially objectionable material. That said, if you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE A miscellaneous person wears a hat with beverages attached on either side (usually associated with beer, but we never know what's in them in this case). A person appears to be holding a drink on a ship (seen from a distance and only briefly). BLOOD/GORE Crude humor includes the following: We see a kid with a finger up his nose. After a hotel worker finds Ted's bathroom filled with unrolled toilet paper (done by George), Ted lies and says that he unrolls ahead of time in case "you're in a rush." DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Junior is jealous of his dad treating Ted more like a son than him, so he tears out half of the map Ted is going to use to try to find the shrine. Ted can't bring himself to tell the truth about the small rather than large statue he's brought back. When Junior learns about that, he purposefully tries to out Ted in front of his dad and the press. Junior gives some coffee (or something similar) to George knowing the latter will spill it on a projector and thus ruin Ted and Mr. Bloomsberry's ruse (see below). Ted and Mr. Bloomsberry plan to fool the public into thinking a video projection of the statue is the real thing, but they're foiled before they get the chance. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed here may be unsettling or suspenseful to very young viewers but probably to no one else. A mother crocodile growls at George, while a lion roars at him (during a musical montage and nothing happens). While acting out his old expeditionary ways, Mr. Bloomsberry gets on his desk with a machete, but then starts slipping out of control, with the blade nearly hitting Junior and then getting stuck in a bookcase (played for comedy). A character is nearly hit by a truck on a city street. Some kids may worry that Ivan the hotel worker (who's against pets in the building) might find George in Ted's place, but it's played more for comedy than suspense. While Ted is high up on a fire escape, a strong gust of wind nearly blows him off and he holds on by one hand. A large dinosaur skeleton nearly lands on Ted as it falls from the ceiling. George ends up flying away while holding onto a bunch of balloons. Ted then tries to follow him, but ends up going through the crocodile and lion pits in a zoo (but is okay and we don't actually see down into them during his brief time there). As George flies along high in the air holding a bunch of balloons, they hit something and suddenly pop. He then starts falling out of control, but Ted (who's also flying along holding balloons) grabs him and all is well. An animal control guy throws a net onto George while capturing him. We then see George put into a cage in the cargo hold of a ship that's headed back to Africa (and George looks scared/unhappy). A painter falls from some scaffolding but a rope catches him around his midsection before he hits. After telling kids, "Don't try this at home," Ted drives fast down a hill and goes airborne in his car to try to land on the ship taking George back to Africa. The car lands in the water, but it's the pool on the ship. GUNS/WEAPONS Tranquilizer gun: Fired at a rock (mistaken for an animal by Ted), with the dart going into Edu (played for laughs). IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "You go girl," "What, are you goofy?" "Fugetaboutit," "Meatball," "I look like an idiot," "It's the new khaki," "Sunshine," "Take a look-see," "I'm smelling pet," "We're doomed," "Man, that's a dumb name," "This has the stink of Ted all over it," "Nutcase" and "You little fur ball." George uses juice from some sort of fruit to make handprints and do other "painting" on things in the wild (including various animals - such as a face symbol on a mother elephant's rear). We see a kid with a finger up his nose. George and Ted end up putting a sandwich on their heads like a hat. Following a saying found in some ancient writing (to look into the light), Ted stares directly into the sun until his eyes hurt (played for comedy, but some kids might try the same). Ms. Plushbottom fires painters while talking like an opera singer. George finds open paint cans in Ms. Plushbottom's place and does various handprints and other painting on her walls. Finding her in her bubble bath (with cucumbers over her eyes - resulting in her not seeing him), George then playfully pours the cans of paint into the tub. George goes up in a tree during a thunderstorm, wanting Ted to join him (but Ted only does so just as the storm stops). We see George with a firefly in his mouth (and he then pops one into Ted's mouth -- played for laughs and the resultant glow-in-the-dark tongue). After telling kids, "Don't try this at home," Ted drives fast down a hill and goes airborne in his car to try to land on the ship taking George back to Africa. The car lands in the water, but it's the pool on the ship. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A mild amount of suspenseful music plays in a few scenes. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY None. SEX/NUDITY None. SMOKING A person appears to be holding a cigarette holder on a ship (seen from a distance and only briefly). TENSE FAMILY SCENES Junior is jealous of his dad treating Ted more like a son than him, so he tears out half of the map Ted is going to use to try to find the shrine. Mr. Bloomsberry tells Ted, "You're like the son I never had" (thus upsetting Junior, although that wasn't the intent of the comment). TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Archaeological expeditions. Museums and their mission. Chimps and monkeys as pets. Maggie's statement that everyone needs a partner. Following a saying found in some ancient writing (to look into the light), Ted stares directly into the sun until his eyes hurt (played for comedy, but some kids might try the same). Ted can't bring himself to tell the truth about the small rather than large statue he's brought back. When Junior learns about that, he purposefully tries to out Ted in front of his dad and the press. George goes up in a tree during a thunderstorm, wanting Ted to join him (but Ted only does so just as the storm stops). Ted and Mr. Bloomsberry plan to fool the public into thinking a video projection of the statue is the real thing, but they're foiled before they get the chance. The comment that the real way to learn is to go out and experience things. VIOLENCE Ted accidentally burns his finger on a match while doing a demo for some school kids. One store clerk slaps another on the back of the head to make him not tip off Ted. Thinking a large rock is a wild animal, Ted fires a tranquilizer gun at it, but the dart ricochets and lands in Edu's leg, quickly rendering him unconscious (played for laughs). A cabin drawer opens into Ted's leg and then his head on a ship (played for laughs). Ted accidentally falls through Ms. Plushbottom's sky light and lands hard on the floor, but is okay. Ivan (a hotel worker) chases after Ted through Ms. Plushbottom's place but ends up running into several unattached doors on a sawhorse or something similar (the doors flip up and hit him in the face -- played for slapstick). Junior falls off a balcony to the ground below (but is okay). Ted falls through the top of a tall zoo igloo to the hard floor below (but he's okay). George ends up flying away while holding onto a bunch of balloons. Ted then tries to follow him, and bashes into the heads of various giraffes during his flight. While George flies over a stadium while holding onto a bunch of balloons, a baseball is hit and flies up and hits him. As George is projected into the city in King Kong size, all sorts of vehicles crash into others during the ensuing chaos. A truck runs over a fire hydrant by accident. An anchor is used to break a small window on a ship to get inside. Reviewed February 4, 2006 / Posted February 10, 2006

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