The Red Balloon
Acceptable. Age: 7+. A Catholic review of this movie for parents.
Our review
A boy named Pascal finds a big red balloon on his way to school in Paris. The balloon follows him everywhere like a friend. Some bigger boys want to take it away. This short film has almost no words and is full of wonder. It shows a gentle friendship and what unkindness does to something good. The balloon is destroyed near the end, which may sadden small children, but the ending is joyful.
For parents
Common Sense Media says seven and up, and its parent reviewers say four and up. The film is 34 minutes and nearly wordless. Things to know: a gang of older boys chases Pascal through the alleys, hits the balloon with slingshots and stones, and one boy stomps on it. In one scene the balloon follows Pascal and his mother into church and a beadle scolds them and leads them out. Wikipedia describes it as a brief scene, and no source reads it as mockery. Common Sense Media calls the story an allegory and leaves the meaning open. Ask: why do the boys want to wreck the balloon? What does Pascal do when he is picked on? What do you think the balloon stands for? What happens at the end, and what does it make you think of?