Little Manhattan - DVD Review

Many stories have been told about finding love in New York, but Little Manhattan has a new twist – the love story is about 10 and 11-year-olds. 10-year-old Gabe (Josh Hutcherson) has the run of New York City, well nine square blocks of it. Other than having parents on the brink of divorce, Gabe has the game of life down, until he discovers Rosemary (Charlie Ray). The two have known each other nearly all their lives, but when they end up in the same karate class, neither of them expects the lessons they will learn.

Gabe leads the viewer through the story of his first love – the excitement, the thrill, and the frustration. Comical and cute, the movie presents a fun and well-paced adventure to which many can relate.

Little Manhattan is probably more fun for adults to watch than for kids. Depending on their age, they might even get a little embarrassed by the many references to love, the awkward first kiss, and the whole idea of discovering the opposite sex. Other than that, the movie only presents a few possible concerns for parents.

Gabe’s parents are living together, but they are on the brink of divorce and his mom is already dating again. This situation presents a couple of tense family scenes, but the storyline does resolve in the end. In one scene, Gabe says the word “hell,” and in the beginning of the story several kids are shown vomiting (done for comical effect).

• Full-Length Audio Commentary with Director Mark Levin and Screenwriter Jennifer Flackett
• Behind the Scenes in Central Park
• "From Scout to Screen" Featurette
• Deleted Scenes and More

• Themes in this movie include dating, relationships, love, and first kisses.
• Kids watching this movie may have questions about marriage and divorce.