Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made Parent Guide

Timmy Failure (Winslow Fegley) is an 11-year-old who runs his own detective agency along with his business partner, an imaginary 1,200-pound polar bear named Total. Together they try to protect Portland from backpack thieves, homework, and Russian operatives.

Family comedies have to toe the line between humor for children and humor for adults. Many lean too far one way or the other, but Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made is a perfect balance. I laughed through the entire run time. The jokes are well written, which will appeal to adults, while also adding in some silly moments that children will love. Timmy is perfectly deadpan almost the whole time, making the absurd situations he finds himself in even more comical. His imagination runs away from him a lot, which leads to some entertaining “what if?” scenarios. Also, there is a cat named Señor Burrito. If that alone is not enough to convince you to watch this movie, then I don’t think we would get along.

Along with being hilarious, this film also has a lot of heart. Timmy is struggling with school and relating to his peers. Timmy’s mom, Patty (Ophelia Lovibond), is trying to provide for her son as a single parent, while also endeavoring to figure out his eccentricities. She is not a perfect parent, but she is making an effort, and she is willing to admit when she makes a mistake, which makes her a dynamic and relatable character.

The movie is set in Portland, which lends a lot of amazing weirdness to the background. One of my favorite jokes, which I won’t spoil, has to do with hipsters. Many of the minor characters are quirky and unique, adding an extra dimension to the setting. Wallace Shawn particularly stands out as Mr. Crocus, Timmy’s teacher who is not sure how to handle a kid like this.

I highly recommend this film not just for kids, but for all ages. It’s a funny, earnest story about an eccentric young boy and the people trying to understand him. It has very few content concerns, making it a great option for family viewing.