Dr. Seuss’ The Cat In The Hat
Rated PGThe 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.
Her website is: www.lindathomasmovies.com
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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