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Doug's 1st Movie |
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Based on the top-rated ABC animated
television series Doug, Doug's 1st
Movie expands on story lines highlighted
in the Saturday morning cartoon. Doug helps
his best friend, Skeeter Valentine, search for
the monster in Lucky Duck Lake. Seeing the
monster, they run home scared, not daring to
return until the next day to get their bikes.
Instead of bicycles, the boys find tire tracks
mixed with huge footprints leading to
Skeeter's home. That's when the pair
discovers the "monster" is a friendly,
kind-hearted creature who's trying to escape
Bluffco Industries' pollution. When Bluffco
president, Bill Bluff, finds out about the
monster he tries to cover up the pollution by
getting rid of the monster. Doug, a quirky
12-year-old, tries to make his relationship with
Patti Mayonnaise more romantic by planning
and going to the Valentine's Day dance with
her. However, slick upperclassman Guy
Graham gets in the way of his plan. As these
two subplots intermingle, Doug is confronted
with a dilemma: If he saves the monster, he
will lose Patti.
Positive Elements: Children
relate to Doug because he's a normal, nice
kid. And his character lives up to his reputation
in his big-screen debut. Doug and Skeeter are
loyal friends. Skeeter asks to call his parents
from Doug's house when it's getting late.
Doug's imaginary superhero alter ego, Quail
Man, says, "Violence is only for those who
have run out of good ideas." Patti says, "The
truth is more important than the dance." And
Bluffington Mayor Tippi Dink sums up the
theme of the movie when she tells Skeeter
and Doug, "You have to do the right thing no
matter what people think. Eventually, the truth
will come out." The truth does come out and
characters who have done wrong have to pay
the consequences of their actions.
Spiritual Content: A passing
reference from one of Roger Klotz's cronies
that Roger (a kid always picking on Doug and
Skeeter) must "keep his chi flowing."
Sexual Content: None. Romance,
however, is a theme. The
seventh-grade Valentine's dance is "all
anyone is thinking about." Doug says he
shared the happiest moments of his life with
Patti. In one of Doug's dreams, he calls Patti
his true love and she climbs over a table to
kiss him (he wakes up before the kiss). Guy
gets ready to kiss Patti in another one of
Doug's dreams.
Violent Content: Opening
sequences in the film may scare very young
viewers, but more because of the music used
than the visual depictions of the monster.
Later, Doug has a scary dream in which Bill
Bluff is trying to "get him." Bill Bluff's men trap
the monster with nets and later they shoot a
robot with ray guns.
Crude of Profane Language:
Roger says words like "loser" and "doofus." A
few times, characters start the phrase, "What
the . . ." but never finish it.
Drug and Alcohol Content:
None.
Other Negative Content: The
police force in Bluffington gets jabbed as
officers eat doughnuts and drive around in a
car with the license plate "DONUT1."
Summary: Fans of the animated
series are bound to enjoy Doug's 1st
Movie. And parents don't have a lot of
objectionable content to worry about. The
"good" and "bad" characters are clearly
defined and justice prevails in the end. Plus,
parents can use the movie to talk about doing
the right thing, even when it's not the popular
thing. Doug and Skeeter aren't the most
popular kids in school, but they follow their
convictions and are true to each other. Good
lessons. But Doug and Patti's romance may
throw up red flags for some families who feel
their children aren't ready for the guy/girl thing.
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