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The
Basics
Title: Dr. Seuss’ The Cat In The
Hat
Rating: PG
Overall
rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Best for Ages 7+
Ages 3 - 7: Yellow
Ages 8 - 12: Green
Ages 13 - 17: Green
Violence Amount: Green
Violence Portrayal: Green
Fear: Green
Illegal / Harmful: Green
Language: Yellow
Nudity: Green
Sex: Green
Review:
The second of Dr. Seuss’ books to be made into a movie
(the first was How the Grinch Stole Christmas), The Cat in
the Hat was written in 1957 and is still one of the top-selling
children’s books. In the movie, Mike Myers plays the
Cat in the red and white hat that comes to visit two children
on a boring, rainy day. Conrad (Spencer Breslin) and Sally
(Dakota Fanning) are as different as a brother and sister
can be. Conrad is a mischievous, rule breaker and Sally is
a perfect little control freak. They have nothing in common,
except that they are bored at home. Suddenly, the Cat appears
out of nowhere and wants to show the kids a good time. The
kids both agree, as long as their house is not messed up as
their mother (Kelly Preston) is having a party that night
and needs everything to be perfect. Her boyfriend, Alec Baldwin,
doesn’t really like the children, but pretends because
he wants to marry their mother and send troublemaker Conrad
off to military school. He tries to catch the kids being naughty.
Unfortunately, the Cat doesn’t live up to his word and
the house becomes a mess, especially when Thing One and Thing
Two show up. The children don’t know what to do. Their
mother is due home any minute and the house is a disaster.
Everything turns out well in the end and Sally and Conrad
learn some much needed lessons. They do actually care for
each other and their mother. Sally needs to let loose a little
and have some fun, so she can make friends. Conrad learns
that rules need to be followed; he can’t just do whatever
he pleases. The book is short, but the movie has fleshed out
the characters to make the story more complete. Rated PG for
some mild crude humor and double entendres, unusual additions
considering the original book. I found the Grinch to be more
entertaining. Children who love the book will enjoy the movie
although the parents may become bored.
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Linda Thomas is a native Minnesotan.
She graduated from the University of Minnesota
with a double major in sociology and psychology.
Married with a family, she has remained in the
Minneapolis area.
Linda has been a lover of movies
since she was a small child. This love of film
eventually brought her to the point in life where
she is now, a film critic. She was featured on
WCCO radio for three years on the “Dark in
the Morning” show with Dark Star.
In December of 2001, Linda became
the film critic for the syndicated “Ruth
Koscielak Show”.
Linda sees over 150 movies a
year and has had the opportunity to interview
a number of directors and actors when they are
in town. She has also appeared on a public access
show called the "Cinema Judge" and has
ventured into writing for "Cinestar"
magazine in September 2002. The Twin Cities movie
magazine is available, for free, at most local
Blockbuster's and local movie cheaters.
As one of the few female reviewers in the Twin
Cities area, she brings a unique point of view
to her reviews. Linda has raised two children,
a boy and a girl, and knows what they like in
movies and what is appropriate. Hopefully, her
reviews will help your family in choosing where
to next spend your movie-going dollar.
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