Netflix's Dumplin' Is Utterly Amazing — Here's What to Know If You Watch It With Kids

Published on Dec 13, 2018 at 1:32 PM

As soon as Netflix dropped its heartwarming original movie Dumplin' starring Danielle Macdonald as Willowdean and Jennifer Aniston as her mom, Rosie, we knew it was going to be an instant hit among families. Adapted from Julie Murphy's bestselling YA novel that goes by the same title, Dumplin' follows Willowdean — a plus-size high school student living in Texas whose mom is a former beauty queen — in her quest to take the pageant world by storm.

The romantic-dramedy is directed by Anne Fletcher and is leaving plenty of viewers in tears for a good reason: it's sweet as sugar. And a kickass soundtrack featuring the one and only Dolly Parton adds an extra layer of southern charm to the experience. While I admit to shedding more than a few tears watching the movie as a 26-year-old woman, is it OK for kids to watch?

According to Common Sense Media, the movie is best for audiences 13 and up. But do you really need to make your family wait that long to watch? We did the research for you and have some good news: you may not have to hold out for as long as you thought. Read through to see why.

1. Dumplin' explores various family dynamics.

Viewers learn right off the bat that Willowdean was actually closer with her aunt Lucy than her mom growing up. But after her aunt passes away suddenly, Willowdean is left to pick up the pieces while navigating her relationship with her mom.

While the topic of death definitely comes up more than once, there aren't too many dark details. Instead, the plot focuses on how relationships can grow and change with a little bit of TLC. You see another example of this between Millie — another pageant contestant played by Maddie Baillio — and her mom after Millie lies to her about entering the competition in the first place.

2. There are multiple characters who aren't size zeroes.

Although it may seem like every single actress in Hollywood is teeny tiny, the actresses in Dumplin' — like Danielle Macdonald and Maddie Baillio — prove that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. And frankly, seeing curvy women confidently rock swimsuits in a pageant is something our children need to see a little bit more of.

3. There's definitely some cringeworthy body-shaming moments.

If you survived high school then you're probably aware that kids can be downright ruthless when it comes to teasing. Unfortunately, Willowdean and Millie fall victim to this at times thanks to a bratty group of boys who hurl insults like "whale" in their directions.

Fortunately, learning to let negative comments roll off her is part of Willowdean's body-confidence transformation. As for Millie? She couldn't care less what anyone thinks. It's truly a beautiful thing to see.

4. Your kiddos are gonna hear some curse words.

Although the storyline in Dumplin' is the purest thing ever, parents should be aware that there's some cursing in a few scenes. While there are two easy-to-miss instances where characters utter the word sh*t, Millie also drops an F-bomb halfway through the movie. If cursing isn't allowed in your household, just fast forward through that part since it's not critical to the plot.

5. There's some light kissing, but nothing too heavy.

One of the sweetest relationships in the movie is shared between Willowdean and a boy named Bo (Luke Benward), whom she works with. Despite struggling to believe that such a handsome boy could find her attractive at first, Willowdean eventually throws her insecurities to the wind and shares a few kisses and snuggles with her new boyfriend. Ah, young love!

6. Overall, watching this flick is a great way to spend family night.

Other than a few bad words here and there, this movie is a great option for families. It promotes self-love, confidence, and taking risks. Not only are Danielle Macdonald and Jennifer Aniston a powerhouse together, but kids will learn that being different is a good thing. So if you're going to break your own parenting rule and let your younger kiddos watch one PG-13 movie, you won't be disappointed by Dumplin'.