Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made parents guide

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made Parent Guide

Streaming on Disney+: A charming tale with a quirky young protagonist that will delight viewers of all ages.

Overall A

Timmy Failure is an 11 year old detective, assisted by his imaginary polar bear friend. The duo do their best to keep the streets of Portland safe from crime.

Release date February 7, 2020

Violence B
Sexual Content A
Profanity B
Substance Use A

Why is Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made rated PG? The MPAA rated Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made PG for thematic elements, some language and mild action

Run Time: 99 minutes

Parent Movie Review

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.

Directed by Tom McCarthy. Starring Winslow Fegley, Ophelia Lovibond, Wallace Shawn. Running time: 99 minutes. Theatrical release February 7, 2020. Updated

Watch the trailer for Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made
Rating & Content Info

Why is Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made rated PG? Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made is rated PG by the MPAA for thematic elements, some language and mild action

Violence: A man punches another man in the face. They fight in a slap stick manner.
Sexual Content: None
Profanity: 1 mild expletive, two instances of terms of deity used.
Alcohol / Drug Use: None

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Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made Parents' Guide

What are some of the consequences of Timmy’s actions? How do his choices affect his mom, his teacher, and his classmates?
Timmy’s mom often says, “Normal is for normal people”. What does she mean by this? How does Timmy embody this attitude?

Loved this movie? Try these books…

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh is a classic series of an inquisitive young girl who loves to solve puzzles.

The Hardy Boys series follows two intrepid brothers as they solve all manner of bizarre and unusual crimes. Similar in tone, the Nancy Drew mysteries follow a teenage girl and her friends as they apprehend wrongdoers.

Tracy Mack and Michael Citrin’s series, Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars sees the great detective and his band of urchins solving crimes.

Encyclopedia Brown by Donald J Sobol narrates the escapades of a clever 10 year old boy who helps his police officer father solve mysteries and catch criminals.

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made movie is February 7, 2020. Here are some details…

Related home video titles:

Other stories about detectives that kids will enjoy include Sherlock Gnomes, The Rescuers, and Disney’s classic, The Great Mouse Detective.

Fans of teen sleuths can watch the latest reboot: Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase.

Brothers inadvertently become involved with jewel thieves in Adventure Boyz.

Four siblings on vacation are surprised when they encounter Russian spies in Swallows and Amazons.

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