Over the Moon
Detailed parental analysis
Journey to the Moon is an animated musical film with contrasting atmospheres, bright and colourful on the surface but grounded in a sincere and touching theme of grief. A young girl, devastated by the loss of her mother and refusing to let her father move on with his life, builds a rocket to reach the Moon goddess and prove to her that true love is eternal. The film is primarily aimed at children from 6-7 years old, but its emotional depth also resonates with parents watching it alongside them.
Underlying Values
The film structures its entire narrative around a tension between loyalty to the past and openness to change. The protagonist begins in total refusal to accept her mother's death and the arrival of a new family, which is presented with kindness as an understandable human reaction, not as a flaw to be corrected. The path to healing is gradual, honest, and leads to a solid message: honouring those we have lost does not require closing our hearts to the living. This treatment avoids the trap of sentimentalised or rushed grief, which makes it a rare film in its category.
Parental and Family Portrayals
The deceased mother occupies a central place in the film, present through memories and culinary traditions passed on to her daughter. This portrayal is affectionate, not excessively idealised, and gives grief concrete texture. The father is shown as a loving, present man who attempts to rebuild his life without erasing his first wife, which constitutes a fair and nuanced parental model. The question of blended families is addressed directly but with tact, making it an ideal subject to extend in conversation.
Sex and Nudity
The goddess Chang'e is presented in form-fitting outfits and high heels during her spectacular pop-style musical sequence. The contrast between this visual treatment and the rest of the film, which is rather childlike, is notable. This is not explicit sexualisation but rather aesthetic hypersexualisation of the central female character on the moon side, which may raise questions without constituting a serious problem for the target age group.
Violence
Violence is non-existent in the dramatic sense. The film contains a few classic animation gags, falls and collisions without consequence, as well as a sequence of a crash landing on the Moon with light tension. Nothing in this register should pose a problem for children from 5-6 years old.
Language
The register is broadly sensible. A few familiar terms of childlike slang appear occasionally, without real vulgarity. This point does not merit particular vigilance.
Strengths
The film distinguishes itself through its sincere integration of Chinese mythology and culture, notably around the legend of Chang'e, without making it an exotic backdrop but rather a complete narrative framework. The first part, grounded in the everyday life of the family on Earth, displays a rare emotional accuracy for a family animation film: grief is shown in its ordinary and persistent dimension, not as a parenthesis to move beyond but as a reality that reorganises itself. The music effectively supports the emotional stakes. Although the second lunar part is more confused and less controlled on a narrative level, the whole retains an underlying intelligence about loss and attachment that gives it real value, far beyond mere entertainment.
Age recommendation and discussion points
The film is suitable from 6 years old and appropriate for the whole family without major reservation. For children who have experienced a recent loss, entry into the film may be emotionally intense and merits preparation. After viewing, two discussion paths are worth exploring: asking the child whether one can love someone again without betraying someone we have lost, and what it means to them to keep alive the memory of a departed person.
Synopsis
Fueled by memories of her mother, resourceful Fei Fei builds a rocket to the moon on a mission to prove the existence of a legendary moon goddess.
Where to watch
Availability checked on Apr 27, 2026
About this title
- Format
- Feature film
- Year
- 2020
- Runtime
- 1h 40m
- Countries
- China, United States of America
- Original language
- EN
- Directed by
- Glen Keane
- Main cast
- Cathy Ang, Phillipa Soo, Robert G. Chiu, Ken Jeong, John Cho, Sandra Oh, Ruthie Ann Miles, Margaret Cho, Kimiko Glenn, Artt Butler
- Studios
- Janet Yang Productions, Glen Keane Productions, Pearl Studio
Content barometer
- Violence1/5Mild
- Fear2/5A few scenes
- Sexuality1/5Allusions
- Language1/5Mild
- Narrative complexity2/5Moderate
- Adult themes0/5None
Values conveyed
- Acceptance of difference
- Perseverance
- Compassion
- Forgiveness
- grief and acceptance
- blended family
- courage
- friendship
- openness to others
- cultural heritage