Parents' Guide to

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel

By Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Amusing, silly sequel has a bit more edge than original.

Movie PG 2009 88 minutes
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 6+

Based on 69 parent reviews

Inez B.
Inez B. Parent of 7-year-old
May 4, 2023
age 6+

I like this movie but…

Normally I would rate it 2 or 3 but Ian says more bad words then the last one. Not really bad words but bad words.
Heather A.
Heather A. Parent of 3 and 6-year-old
March 11, 2023
age 5+

See all 69 parent reviews

What's the Story?

After an onstage mishap, Dave (Jason Lee) lands in a Paris hospital, and the Chipmunks wind up under the care of his doofus cousin Toby (Zachary Levi). Going to school for the first time, brothers, Alvin, Simon, and Theodore discover girls, bullies, and peer pressure; Alvin (voiced by Justin Long) is coaxed into joining the football team, which takes him away from his singing duties. Meanwhile, evil talent agent Ian (David Cross) returns -- having discovered all-girl chipmunk singing group The Chipettes -- and uses his same old nasty tactics to catapult the girls into the limelight. Trouble comes when Alvin's first big game falls on the same day as the big school talent show ... and The Chipettes are the main competition.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (69 ):
Kids say (118 ):

This "squeakquel" from director Betty Thomas (The Brady Bunch Movie, Dr. Dolittle) is not so much good as it is low-key, amusing, and painless. It has enough funny one-liners and bits of physical humor to entertain both kids and parents (especially if the parents are already Chipmunk fans). Crude humor is kept to a minimum, but Alvin's attempts at teen hipster talk may annoy parents and inspire impressionable kids to imitate him. And the Chipettes' dancing is designed to suggest many of today's pop starlets (Beyonce, Shakira, etc.) with some suggestive hip-wiggling.

But these quibbles come surprisingly infrequently. Overall, the movie doesn't try too hard for viewers' affections (it doesn't jump in your lap like a yapping puppy) and moves with speed and confidence. The songs are fun, the chipmunks are likeable, and the movie seems to have its heart in the right place. It may inspire some giggles and unexpected smiles from the whole family.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about peer pressure. Why did Alvin join the football team, especially when he knew the game would conflict with the talent show? What did he hope to gain? Were the bullies really his friends?

  • How does the movie approach the subject of body image? Would it be different if the characters dealing with the issue were human instead of chipmunks?

  • Cousin Toby has spent a lot of time playing and mastering video games, but what good has it done him?

Movie Details

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