NORM OF THE NORTH | FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

"NORM OF THE NORTH"
(2016) (voices of Rob Schneider, Heather Graham) (PG)

QUICK TAKE:: Computer Animated Dramedy: A talking polar bear travels from the arctic to New York City in hopes of thwarting a real estate developer from building a residential development in his homeland.

PLOT:

Norm (voice of ROB SCHNEIDER) is a polar bear who lives in the Arctic, and since he's not very proficient at hunting, he's turned to entertaining human tourists who arrive to see him and other animals, including his small lemming friends. Despite being just one of two bears that can speak English and thus converse with humans -- the other being his grandfather (voice of COLM MEANEY) who hasn't been seen for years -- he isn't viewed seriously by most anyone. That is, except for a wise bird by the name of Socrates (voice of BILL NIGHY) who's grown increasingly concerned about human incursions into their lands.

That comes to a head when an actual house is dropped off there. It's a prototype by New York City real estate developer Mr. Greene (voice of KEN JEONG) who wants to turn the arctic into "Dubai on ice." He's sent his head of marketing, Vera (voice of HEATHER GRAHAM), there to oversee the filmmaking of one of his commercials. Despite his demanding and demeaning ways, Vera puts up with that in hopes that his connections will get her brainy daughter, Olympia (voice of MAYA KAY), into a prestigious and selective school.

Learning that she needs an actor to pull off a convincing job of portraying a polar bear in such a costume, Socrates convinces Norm to travel to New York to take on that part, all with the intention of putting a kibosh on Mr. Green's plan, something that doesn't sit well with the hyper developer.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Younger kids might be enticed by the talking animals in this computer animated tale.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG: For mild rude humor and action.

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