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Lady and the Tramp (2019)

Content Caution

LightKids
LightTeens
LightAdults

Credits

In Theaters

Cast

Home Release Date

Director

Distributor

Reviewer

Kristin Smith

Movie Review

Lady is accustomed to a life of doggie luxury. Her owners, Jim Dear and Darling, bathe her regularly, give her treats and treat her like the center of their world.

Until things start to change.

One day, Lady meets an unwelcomed visitor trying to escape the local dog catcher, a mangy mutt named Tramp. He tells her why her owners have started to give her less attention: A baby is on the way.

Once a baby comes in, he says, the dog always goes out. And though she’s hesitant to believe Tramp, Lady can’t help but admit that she’s slowly being forgotten.

Sadly, Lady’s fears come to life when Jim Dear and Darling take their baby girl, Lulu, on a family trip. Left with Darling’s mean Aunt Sarah and her two conniving Siamese cats, Lady believes that she’s been abandoned and runs off to escape her horrible new reality.

And who better to run into than the king of the streets: Tramp. Fearless and independent, Tramp takes Lady on a stroll through the city, teaching her that it’s better to be free and by yourself than trapped by a fence.

Lady nearly believes him, but she can’t shake that feeling of loyalty and her heart’s call that says the only things that really matter in life are family and love.

Positive Elements

Lady, a sassy, independent cocker spaniel teaches mutt Tramp the values of love, dependence and family. Although Tramp attempts to withdraw from any form of affection, Lady recognizes that he’s been badly damaged by rejection and abandonment. So she encourages Tramp to see that humans can also be loyal. Lady also saves Tramp, twice, from being taken to the pound.

Tramp teaches Lady to enjoy life and to be passionate. Tramp saves Lulu, the baby of Jim Dear and Darling, from a mean rat. Tramp attempts to right his wrongs.

Lady, while she believes her family might not want her for a short time, learns that her owners still love her and value her. Similarly, dogs from the pound are adopted and slowly begin to believe that they are worthy of love and a family.

Lady’s friends, Jock and Trusty, help Lady rescue Tramp after they realize they’ve misjudged him as “mangy, dirty and dangerous.”

Spiritual Elements

Darling sings a Christmas song about the “spirit of love” and the “child of peace.”

Sexual Content

Tramp and Lady eat a romantic spaghetti together and “kiss” accidentally while slurping up the same noodle. Elsewhere, Lady and Tramp cuddle and Lady accidentally falls on Tramp. Tramp tries to flirt with a female poodle but the dog’s husband tells him to back off. Jock loses her doggie outfit and says she dislikes running “stark naked” through the streets.

A woman hits a man with a book, believing he tried to smell her (Tramp is actually the one who sniffs the woman). Another woman believes a man is flirting with her, when he’s really complimenting Lady’s beauty.

Violent Content

Dogs at the pound seem to believe that once they leave through “the one-way door,” they’re killed (this isn’t true of course, as the door is just the exit from the pound).

Tramp tries to save baby Lulu from a rat and is injured (we see him spotted with blood and the dead rat lying on the floor). Baby Lulu’s crib is knocked over while she’s inside. Tramp and a dog catcher are thrown from a moving carriage.

Crude or Profane Language

We hear the phrases “oh my gosh” and “dang it,” along with “fool” and “darn.” A store owner calls Tramp a “mangy mutt.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Jim Dear and his friends celebrate the birth of his newborn baby with alcoholic drinks.

Other Negative Elements

Tramp believes that it’s OK to steal your dinner and to be a loner, something he prides himself on when he’s really covering up the fact that he was abandoned. Tramp’s insecurities come out elsewhere as he has a hard time learning to trust and depend on others. Additionally, Tramp tries to convince Lady that her owners won’t love her once their baby is born. (And we should note that Tramp’s abandonment issues could also be a trigger for adopted or foster children who’ve gone through similar rejection and/or abandonment themselves.)

Darling’s Aunt Sarah makes a few rude comments to Jim and Darling about their home and Jim’s choice to be a musician. Aunt Sarah’s conniving cats ruin Lady’s home and blame Lady for the destruction. Afterward, Aunt Sarah punishes Lady harshly by placing a muzzle on her.

Scottish Terrier Jock tells Trusty, a bloodhound, that he has mouth “incontinence” after he insults her. A few strays think it’s acceptable to steal food. A dog jokes about vomiting, passing gas and marking your territory on a fire hydrant. A doctor makes a sarcastic comment.

Conclusion

Based on the 1955 animated film of the same name, this live-action reboot of Lady and the Tramp has joined the ever-expanding collection of Disney remakes.

Releasing directly to Disney+, this classic tale is a sweet retelling of Lady’s adventures with her pal Tramp, albeit with a lot more CGI and perhaps a little less enchantment. There are still songs aplenty, but the film certainly doesn’t have quite the same affectionate feel.

But that’ doesn’t make it a bad movie. In fact, there’s a lot of good here. Lessons on love, family and loyalty bark loudly as Lady teaches Tramp how to value others and himself. And even though little ones might not be quite as captivated with this remake, there are still plenty of heart-warming moments and smiles to go around for the whole family.

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kristin-smith
Kristin Smith

Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).