Encanto Movie Review | Common Sense Media

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Parents' Guide to

Encanto Movie PG 2021 99 minutes Encanto Poster Image
  • Common Sense Says
  • Parents Say 154 Reviews
  • Kids Say 249 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Sandie Angulo Chen By Sandie Angulo Chen , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 6+

Vibrant visuals, catchy songs, moving messages.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Encanto is an animated Disney musical set in Colombia and featuring Mirabel Madrigal (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz), the youngest granddaughter in a family that protects their enchanted village with the magical powers they've had for two generations …

 Why Age 6+? Violence & Scariness

Flashbacks to a confrontation with armed men who kill Mirabel's abuelo with thei

 Sex, Romance & Nudity

A married couple is affectionate: kisses, embraces, and partner dances in flashb

 Language

Mirabel calls her sister "stupid perfect."

 Products & Purchases

Nothing on camera, but off camera, the movie has tie-ins to apparel, toys, figur

 Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

A kid drinks coffee even after being told it's for adults. Family toasts with an

 Any Positive Content? Positive Messages

Lots of positive messages about value of empathy and teamwork, importance of hon

 Positive Role Models

The Madrigals are helpful, strong, loyal. They love one another and want to prot

 Diverse Representations

Depicts multigenerational, multiracial Madrigal family, as well as Encanto villa

 Educational Value

Includes many aspects of Colombian culture, like traditional dress, dancing, mus

  • Parents Need to Know

    Parents need to know that Encanto is an animated Disney musical set in Colombia and featuring Mirabel Madrigal (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz), the youngest granddaughter in a family that protects their enchanted village with the magical powers they've had for two generations ... except for Mirabel. As she helps her cousin prepare for his coming-of-magical-age ritual, she begins to question her role in the family. Expect a few scenes of violence: Mirabel's grandfather is killed by armed men (the actual death isn't shown), and supernatural events and catastrophes threaten the characters. There's also mild name-calling and affection between married characters. Themes of empathy, teamwork, and courage are clear, and there's strong diverse representation on-screen, with White, Black, and multiracial characters all part of the same family and voiced by famous Colombian and Latin American actors. Colombian culture is also well portrayed in the form of music, costumes, dance sequences, and even food, but the filmmaking team, including songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda, isn't of Colombian heritage.

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  • Violence & Scariness

    some

    Flashbacks to a confrontation with armed men who kill Mirabel's abuelo with their swords while her abuela watches, holding newborn triplets. The family's home begins to crumble, and a nearby mountain splits in two, posing a danger to the family and entire village. Bruno is frightening at first sight but is just lonely. A character dangles from the edge of a cliff, and it looks like they're plunging to injury, but they end up fine. The house eventually falls, and it's occasionally scary to see all the family members fail in their attempts to save the house and their magic candle.

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

    Get started Close

  • Sex, Romance & Nudity

    very little

    A married couple is affectionate: kisses, embraces, and partner dances in flashbacks to their wedding and other occasions.

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

    Get started Close

  • Language

    very little

    Mirabel calls her sister "stupid perfect."

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

    Get started Close

  • Products & Purchases

    very little

    Nothing on camera, but off camera, the movie has tie-ins to apparel, toys, figurines, even instruments.

  • Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

    very little

    A kid drinks coffee even after being told it's for adults. Family toasts with an unspecified drink (presumably water) at a meal/event.

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

    Get started Close

  • Positive Messages

    a lot

    Lots of positive messages about value of empathy and teamwork, importance of honesty and acceptance in families, the need to acknowledge various talents and character strengths of people you love.

  • Positive Role Models

    a lot

    The Madrigals are helpful, strong, loyal. They love one another and want to protect and defend their family, house, town. The family exhibits the pride of serving their community, learns to accept help later in the movie. Mirabel is selfless and wants to solve problems even as she's occasionally overlooked because of her lack of superpowers.

  • Diverse Representations

    a lot

    Depicts multigenerational, multiracial Madrigal family, as well as Encanto village that's full of residents who are Black, Brown, White. Women are strong, men are supportive (in this family, husbands don't have magical abilities, but their wives and children do), and a matriarch (Abuela) leads the family and village. Colombian culture is well portrayed in form of music, costumes, dance sequences, even food, but filmmaking team, including songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda, isn't of Colombian heritage.

    Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update .

  • Educational Value

    a little

    Includes many aspects of Colombian culture, like traditional dress, dancing, music, even cuisine (arepas, a national food, are made and eaten several times).

Where to Watch

  • EncantoMovie Review 1:11
  • Encanto Trailer Encanto
  • Encanto Movie: Scene #1
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  • Encanto Movie: Scene #3

Encanto

Parent and Kid Reviews

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  • Parents Say (154)
  • Kids Say (249)
age 5+

Based on 154 parent reviews

See all 154 parent reviews age 5+

Based on 249 kid reviews

Kids say that this animated film is a captivating experience with vibrant visuals and catchy music, making it enjoyable for all ages, though some find the storyline predictable and lacking depth. While it conveys positive themes of family, self-acceptance, and culture, some parents caution about mild intensity that may not be suitable for younger viewers.

  • great family film
  • catchy music
  • vibrant visuals
  • positive themes
  • mild intensity
Summarized with AI
See all 249 kid reviews

What's the Story?

In ENCANTO, Mirabel (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz) is a member of the magical Madrigal family, who were bestowed with supernatural gifts emanating from a miracle candle that also created their village and magical house, la casita. Unfortunately for Mirabel, while her relatives have gifts as wide-ranging as controlling the weather, super strength, making flowers grow, healing with food, shape-shifting, super hearing, and seeing the future, she didn't receive a supernatural gift during her coming-of-age ceremony. As her youngest cousin approaches the day that a magical door will reveal his gift, the family nervously prepares. On the day itself, Mirabel has a vision of the casita cracking and crumbling, and she dedicates herself to saving the Madrigals' magical home -- even if it means looking for her mysterious estranged Tio Bruno (John Leguizamo), who could predict the future, and putting herself in dangerous situations.

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Is It Any Good?

Our review: Parents say (154 ): Kids say (249 ):

Disney's delightful animated musical is a tribute to Colombian culture, magical realism, and the power of multigenerational families. Encanto works on multiple levels. It's a kid-friendly musical with a magical house and relatives, most of them teens and tweens. Main character Mirabel is lovable and loyal, but also the family's beloved but underappreciated underdog, which makes her easy to cheer for and relate to as she tries to prove she's worthy of the family name. Deeper still, the movie's thematic elements are an homage to magical realism, the literary genre that legendary late Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez was famous for elevating, with magical golden butterflies reminding viewers of migration, change, and hope. Beatriz is terrific as Mirabel, and the cast of Colombian actors and singers does a great job with the Germaine Franco-composed/Lin-Manuel Miranda-penned songs, particularly "The Family Madrigal," "We Don't Talk About Bruno," and "All of You." Colombian superstars Carlos Vives and Sebastián Yatra are also prominent on the authentic, cumbia-infused soundtrack (listen for the accordion and percussion!). The movie's attention to cultural detail also includes traditional dress (the embroidered, ruffled tops and skirts and the black-and-white cane hats are iconic) and the making of typical foods like the healing arepas that Mirabel's mami (Angie Cepeda) feeds family and villagers.

Beyond the cultural sensitivity (and it should be noted that, behind the scenes, none of the writer-directors -- Jared Bush, Byron Howard, and Charise Castro Smith -- are Colombian), this is a funny and deeper-than-it-looks family adventure. Audiences will laugh aloud at the animal cameos (Tio Bruno's pet rats are especially entertaining) and the chorus of three village kids who pop up at various key moments for comic relief. They'll also sing along to Miranda's toe-tapping choruses "We don't talk about Bruno-no-no-no" and the Anna-and-Elsa-like duets between Mirabel and each of her two sisters -- big-and-strong Luisa (Jessica Darrow) and perfect-and-pretty Isabela (Diane Guerrero). It's a joy to watch Mirabel bravely protect her family and her town. There's also a simmering truth to the idea that people are much more than what they initially seem. Everyone has gifts and strengths, whether they're obvious or subtle, and what's meaningful is how people use them.

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Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Encanto's messages about embracing differences, learning to rethink weaknesses and strengths, and the importance of family togetherness. What are some other positive themes in the story?

  • Talk about the family dynamics in the movie. Why does Mirabel feel like she has to prove her worth to her family? How does she display courage, empathy, and teamwork? Why are those important character strengths?

  • What aspects of Colombian culture are highlighted in the story? How do costumes, music, dance, and food play a role in the movie? How is magical realism, which is associated with Latin American literature, a big part of the movie?

  • Why does representation behind the camera matter as much as in front of the camera? While most of the movie's cast and the soundtrack's performing musicians are Colombian, the filmmakers themselves aren't. How could a Colombian filmmaker have enriched the film?

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Movie Details

  • In theaters : November 24, 2021
  • On DVD or streaming : February 8, 2022
  • Cast : Stephanie Beatriz , John Leguizamo , Wilmer Valderrama
  • Directors : Jared Bush , Byron Howard
  • Inclusion Information : Gay Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Bisexual Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s)
  • Studio : Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
  • Genre : Family and Kids
  • Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Arts ( Music and Sing-Along )
  • Character Strengths : Courage , Empathy , Teamwork
  • Run time : 99 minutes
  • MPAA rating : PG
  • MPAA explanation : some thematic elements and mild peril
  • Awards : Academy Award , Common Sense Selection , Kids' Choice Award , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Winner
  • Last updated : September 29, 2025
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Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Encanto

Suggest an Update

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Related Topics

  • Courage
  • Empathy
  • Teamwork
  • Magic
  • Fantasy
  • Siblings
  • Family Stories
  • Music and Sing-Along
  • Arts

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