Tooth Fairy

Story

Ice hockey player Derek Thompson (Dwayne Johnson) is known as the ‘tooth fairy’. He has earned the nickname because of his aggressive play and ability to knock out his opponents’ teeth. After sustaining a serious shoulder injury, he has been moved down to a minor grade and now has a tough and cynical approach to life. His attitude dashes children’s hopes and dreams, and affects his relationship with his girlfriend (Ashley Judd) and her children.

Derek’s behaviour comes to the attention of the ‘head fairy’ (Julie Andrews). She sentences Derek to a week working as a real tooth fairy, complete with wings. He is assigned to a carer named Tracy (Stephen Merchant). Tracy must change Derek from a hard-nosed cynic to a more caring and kind-hearted person.

Themes

Children in single-parent families

Violence

This movie contains some violence, including sporting action, and frequent accidental harm mainly played for laughs. For example:

Players on the ice rink accidentally and deliberately push and shove each other.
A player is pushed through a glass barrier, shattering glass everywhere and losing his tooth.
Derek reacts badly when he finds himself in fairyland. He pushes fairies out of his way.
Derek and Tracy constantly bicker, push each other, and fight with fairy wands.
During a flying lesson, Derek gets attacked with tennis balls, which hit him in the genitals.
Derek gets squashed behind a door.
Derek suffers a lot of accidental damage as a tooth fairy, including falling off beds and over balconies.

Sexual references

None of concern

Alcohol, drugs and other substances

This movie contains some use of substances. For example, the fairies use magic substances such as shrinking paste, invisibility spray, mints that can make a person bark like a dog, and amnesia dust. This makes you forget what just happened.

Nudity and sexual activity

None of concern

Product placement

The following products are displayed or used in this movie: Coca Cola and Dunkin’ Donuts.

Coarse language

None of concern

Ideas to discuss with your children

Tooth Fairy is a family comedy that could appeal to all ages. Julie Andrews is a wonderful head fairy, while Dwayne Johnson is hilarious in a tutu.

The main messages from this movie concern the importance of magic and fantasy for children. The movie also emphasises how important it is for children to have dreams and hopes.

Values in this movie that you could reinforce with your children include:

encouraging children to have dreams and hopes for the future
letting children have a fantasy world.

The movie also shows kind-heartedness, tact and diplomacy as important qualities.

This movie could give you the chance to talk with your children about real-life issues such as the challenges faced by children in single-parent families. There is also the importance of not taking out frustrations and personal disappointments on other people.