Disney+ launches with a timeless re-telling of the 1955 animated classic, Lady and the Tramp. Has this live-action film gone to the dogs, or is it just plain old doggone cute?! Find out in my Lady and the Tramp Parent Review. I’m breaking down all of the thematic elements to help you decide if it’s kid-friendly. Get a mom’s perspective on if children should see Disney Plus’ Lady and the Tramp. And of course, no spoilers.
Disney Plus Lady and the Tramp Parent Review #LadyAndTheTramp
Another day, another Disney live-action film based on an animated classic. I swear that I’m in the minority, but I’ve been quite honest that I really do enjoy these re-imagined movies! In fact, I was a bit disappointed when I heard that Lady and the Tramp would NOT be on the big screen, but instead launching with Disney Plus. I suppose the good thing about this, is you can cozy up on the couch with your family in the comfort of your home — which is one of the reasons I initially signed up for Disney’s new streaming service!
A lot of controversy over the live-action remakes is when the film primarily stars animals. HOW do you bring their animated qualities to life? Well, if they could do it in Disney’s The Lion King, a film where there are absolutely ZERO human beings, I think Disney can do just about anything!
The Story
Disney+’s Lady and the Tramp follows the story of the 1955 classic with the opening scene on Christmas Day. Jim Dear presents his wife Darling with the gift of Lady, a cute Cockerspaniel pup. The film pretty much stays true to the original, but there are some very welcome changes.
For starters, the Dear family is interracial. Disney is bringing diversity into a time period (the 1950’s), where this could possible be seen as controversial. However, I LOVE that they added this, and I appreciated that it was simply “normal.” There was never any comments or judgments made about this in the movie. It was simply accepted.
As I said, the movie basically follows the same theme as its original, however, Disney is able to give the dogs human-like qualities.
What sets Lady and the Tramp apart from other live-action remakes, is these are REAL dogs. They are not done in CGI…which really amazed me! I think the movie might have been easier to film if these dogs were not real. Think of all of the training that went into making this film. I’m sure it’s much easier to work with computer generated dogs than REAL dogs!
But that’s what makes me love Lady and the Tramp even more! As a HUGE dog lover, and someone who knows a little bit about training, I can truly appreciate the work that went into this film.
Lady and the Tramp Portrays a Dog’s Unconditional Love
We all know there’s something special about the love of a dog. In fact, Tramp says, “People don’t do loyalty like dogs.” And he is 100% correct! The theming of a dog’s loyalty is strongly focused on throughout the movie. Even though Lady feels replaced when Lulu is born, she is STILL dedicated to her humans. She is unconditionally devoted to her family. When Tramp shows her what life could be like with him, she chooses her people, even though it might not be what would make her most happy. Unconditional love.
Is Lady and the Tramp Kid-Friendly?
Of course the question you really want to know, is Disney’s live-action Lady and the Tramp kid-friendly? The simple answer, YES! With a running time of 104 minutes, this is the perfect length for antsy little ones. It provides just enough action to keep children engaged, and they will really fall in love with the dogs.
PG Rating
Lady and the Tramp is rated PG for some mild thematic elements and action/peril. I feel because this movie is live-action, it obviously makes it more REAL and life-like. These are actual animals, not cartoons, and that has the potential to make some scenes a bit scarier for kids.
Violence: If you’ve seen the original film, you know there are a few scenes with an angry dog catcher trying to catch Tramp. The same is true in this movie, except again, it’s a real man chasing real dogs. We did have the opportunity to interview Adrian Martinez, who plays the dog catcher, and I will be sharing that soon!
There’s also the scene where Aunt Sarah (Yvette Nicole Brown) takes Lady to get a muzzle. That scene is gut wrenching. You can hear Lady whimpering, and I swear she has tears in her eyes.
Language: None. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Thank you, Disney.
Adult themes: Just some dogs nuzzling. Nothing to see here!
Conversation Starters: I’m always looking for conversation starters to have with my children when watching a movie. I think the big one here is as I mentioned, the pure unconditional love that comes from a dog. That true loyalty and devotion. Also, since interviewing Yvette Nicole Brown and Adrian Martinez, I’m able to look at the “villains” of the film in a different perspective. I would love to know what happened to Aunt Sarah to make her the way she is. I feel there’s more to her story.
Final Thoughts
Taking note to everything above, you can use your best judgement on if Lady and the Tramp is safe for your kids. My boys are (almost) 10 & 6, and I cannot wait to watch this with them! I think that because it’s on Disney+, if it gets to be too much for your children, you can always jump ahead during those scenes, or simply shut it off. But I really think this remake will be a hit with the kids! It’s truly a wonderful family-friendly film.
Disney Plus’ Lady and the Tramp is a heartwarming story. It will tug at your heart, and make you want to hug your furbabies a little tighter. Cozy up with your family and watch this on Disney+ TODAY!
About Lady and the Tramp
In Disney+’s “Lady and the Tramp,” a timeless re-telling of the 1955 animated classic, a pampered house dog and a tough but lovable stray embark on an unexpected adventure and, despite their differences, grow closer and come to understand the value of home.
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