Overall Rating:
Grade: A
Score: 8.5/10
Family-Friendliness Scale: Level 4 (Great)
Kids ages 5+
When you write a musical for a senior college variety show and at the end, someone says, "Next time, we'll see you on broadway!" What's the next step? Well, obviously, its' Broadway!!!
In the third Muppet movie ever made, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzie Bear, Camila the Chicken, Scooter, and the Electric Mayhem all go to Broadway to see if they can get their show "Manhattan Melodies" on stage. However, there's just one dilemma. Every producer is freaked out at seeing, well frogs, and bears, and pigs, and chickens, etc. singing (who wouldn't be?). So, upon running out of money, the gang decides to go their separate ways while Kermit remains in Manhattan still trying to sell his show.
Positive Notes
Similar to most Muppet movies, Muppets Take Manhattan unintendedly encourages us audience members to not give up on our dreams and follow them. Kermit's never-give-up attitude and leadership makes him a strong role model for young kids. We also see solid examples of friendship and teamwork.
The film has quite a bunch of toe-tapping tunes, with the most memorable ones being "You Can't Take No For An Answer" and the ending song. You have to credit the songwriters, who did an excellent job. The puppeteers execute every action the Muppets do with extreme precision.
The story is fun and kid-friendly, and there are lots of hilarious and fun celebrity cameos (such as James Coco, Joan Rivers, and a very young Brooke Shields).
Negative Notes
There are some suggestive jokes that will go over kids' heads, but could raise parents' eyebrows. Other than a couple of stunts, the usual Muppets slapstick violence is tamed in this film. A few humans characters are seen smoking cigarettes. No language (strongest dialogue is one use of "Good Lord").
Conclusion
Muppets have always been singing and dancing since Jim Henson's first TV ad. And going to Manhattan clearly pushes the idea. The characters are more classy and musical than ever, and like other movies the characters have starred in, the songs are so memorable we'll be singing them over and over again.
But this Muppet film, while the encouragement to follow one's dream isn't as relevant as it was in the original Muppet Movie, its' actually more kid-friendly than most of the others. The usual Muppets brand slapstick violence is almost completely flicked away, and there's no language or toilet humor (which are sometimes the new usuals for kids flicks). Plus, it has enough pop-culture humor to keep any age entertained.
Altogether, Muppets Take Manhattan is probably one of the most fun films I have seen. Its' one of those films that you'll want to watch again and again. And kids will certainly feel the same way too.
