Grow – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Grow

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2025Family, Comedy

65%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Estranged aunt and niece bond over giant pumpkins in a small-town competition that's part heartwarming, part agricultural warfare.

6/10

93%

97%

2.2

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Grow

movie

PG, 2025, Family, Comedy

65%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Estranged aunt and niece bond over giant pumpkins in a small-town competition that's part heartwarming, part agricultural warfare.

93%

2.2

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6/10

93%

2.2

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Screenwise Verdict

Grow is one of those family movies that critics appreciate more than regular audiences—and those wildly divergent scores (92% RT critics vs. 2.2/10 TMDB) are a red flag that this might be more 'worthy' than actually fun to watch.

The premise is charming enough: grumpy farmer aunt, estranged niece, giant pumpkins, small-town shenanigans. It's safe, it's wholesome, and it probably has some nice moments about family and persistence. But let's be real—nearly two hours about pumpkin growing is a tough sell for modern kids raised on rapid-fire Marvel cuts and Bluey's tight 7-minute episodes.

If your kid is genuinely into gardening, agriculture, or slower-paced stories about community, this could be a sweet watch. But if you're hoping for something that'll keep the whole family engaged on movie night, those audience scores suggest you might be reaching for your phone by minute 45. It's fine. Just... fine.

Age Fit

Best for ages 6-12 who enjoy gentle family comedies and can handle a longer runtime. The agricultural setting and slower pacing might not grab teens or very young kids, but it's solidly in the elementary-school sweet spot.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Family comedy about an estranged aunt and niece bonding over pumpkin farming. The premise centers on reconciliation, community competition, and working together. Common Sense Media rates it for age 6, suggesting appropriate tone. Some sabotage/competition elements keep it from being purely wholesome, but the core relationship-building and small-town setting provide solid emotional grounding.

Imaginative

Pumpkin growing competition with genetically engineered rivals offers some creative premise, but ultimately it's a fairly conventional underdog-competition story. The agricultural setting and plant-growing element provides some novelty, but the 'fierce competition and sabotage' beats suggest familiar family comedy territory rather than truly inventive storytelling. Not groundbreaking, but has enough quirk to be moderately engaging.

Safe

Family comedy rated for age 6 by Common Sense Media with no MPAA rating flags in the data. The synopsis mentions sabotage and competition but in the context of pumpkin growing—inherently low-stakes and silly. No indicators of violence, scary content, or inappropriate material. The 'genetically engineered rival' is likely played for laughs rather than horror. Very safe for family viewing.

Enriching

Themes of family reconciliation, persistence, and community are present. Could spark interest in agriculture, gardening, and small-town traditions. However, the entertainment value appears mixed—92% RT critics vs. 2.2/10 TMDB and 6.1/10 IMDb suggests critics liked it more than general audiences. The sabotage/competition angle may overshadow deeper lessons. Likely offers some character growth but prioritizes comedy over profound insight.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Sweet family reconciliation story about a curmudgeonly farmer softening toward her niece—classic feel-good territory
Introduces kids to agricultural competition culture and the surprisingly intense world of giant pumpkin growing
Critics loved it (92% on Rotten Tomatoes), so there's genuine craft here even if audiences were mixed
Safe, age-appropriate humor that won't require awkward remote fumbling
The 'genetically engineered rival' premise adds a quirky sci-fi twist to an otherwise grounded story

⚠

What to Watch For

The audience scores are weirdly all over the place—97% RT audience but 2.2/10 on TMDB suggests this might not land with everyone
Sabotage and competition elements mean some mild conflict and scheming, though likely played for laughs
At 115 minutes, it's on the longer side for a family comedy—younger kids might lose interest
The pumpkin-growing premise might feel too niche or slow-paced for action-oriented kids

Conversation Starters

"Would you ever want to grow something giant like that? What would you try to grow?"
"Why do you think Charlie's aunt was so grumpy at first? What changed?"
"The movie has sabotage—is competing dirty ever okay, or should you always play fair?"
"What do you think about genetically engineered plants? Is that cheating or just smart science?"

Stills