The Tigger Movie Parent Guide

We’ve always been told the most wonderful thing about Tiggers (besides their bouncy, flouncy natures) is their uniqueness after all Tigger is the only one.

So it comes as a bit of a surprise when this film opens with Tigger (voiced by Jim Cummings) in a sad state because he is the only one. After a long-winded explanation from Owl (voice of Andre Stojka) about family trees, Tigger begins searching through the forest with his greatest admirer Roo (voice of Nikita Hopkins), the baby kangaroo, looking for the tallest, grandest tree in the woods with visions of Tiggers atop every branch. When this tactic fails, Tigger’s friends help him write a letter to his family. But when no one writes back, the Pooh gang takes it upon themselves to draft a courteous reply.

Receiving their note, Tigger becomes so excited that he plans for his family’s arrival the next day. Now Winnie the Pooh (also voiced by Jim Cummings) and his friends decide to stretch their lie even further and dress up as Tigger’s relatives, but their striped chum is only fooled for a few moments. After discovering the hoax, he impulsively ventures out to find his real family in the midst of a blizzard. When the concerned pals follow, everyone is swept under an avalanche, creating a scene that may frighten young viewers.

Tigger’s longing for family is a predominant theme in this movie, providing a positive message. Although his friends turn to lying in an effort to protect him from heartbreak, it is obvious to this isn’t the best solution to the problem. And in the end Tigger does recognize his friends were motivated by their love for him.

It’s a shame there isn’t a market for the 30-minute animations that Walt Disney originally created from A.A. Milne’s stories. Capturing the innocence of childhood, those early featurettes, like the Academy Award winning Blustery Day, brought Milne’s work to life. But his short prose and poems were never appropriate for a feature length movie, which is why Disney Studio’s storytellers have resorted to formulistic plots and climactic endings for their more recent productions, like this title and Pooh’s Grand Adventure (neither of which are directly based on any of Milne’s works). With Milne’s death in 1956, it seems the “hunny” pot has run dry.

About author

Rod Gustafson

Rod Gustafson has worked in various media industries since 1977. He founded Parent Previews in 1993, and today continues to write and broadcast the reviews in newspapers, on radio and (of course) on the Internet. His efforts also include writing and researching media in all its forms and observing how it effects society and culture. He and his wife Donna have four children.