Disney/Pixar's Ratatouille - A Family Revisit

Ratatouille (2007) pairs Remy, a rat with a refined palate, with Alfredo Linguini, a clumsy kitchen worker, producing humor for kids and emotional resonance for adults. Directed by Brad Bird and praised for its animation, Paris setting, and celebration of creativity, the film remains a strong family pick that explores ambition, identity, and family ties.

Revisiting Ratatouille

When Pixar's Ratatouille reached home release after its summer 2007 theatrical run, I decided to revisit the film with my family. We had first seen it in the theater - my 11-year-old daughter, my 3-year-old, my wife and I - and I remember arriving late, sitting on the front row, and worrying the film might not hold two hours of family attention. It did.

A simple premise with layered appeal

Ratatouille pairs Remy, a rat with a remarkable sense of taste and a love of cooking, with Alfredo Linguini, a bumbling kitchen worker who has no culinary skill. Remy does the cooking; Linguini becomes the human face of the dishes. That setup produces slapstick and near-misses that delight small children - my youngest laughed at the physical humor - while the movie also offers emotional beats and wit that land for adults.

Themes: ambition, identity, family

At its heart, the film argues that creative talent can come from unexpected places and that following your passion need not mean abandoning your roots. Pixar balances those ideas without flattening them into a slogan: the film celebrates individuality and hard work while showing how relationships and family can remain part of who you are.

Craft: Paris, food, and animation

Pixar sets the film in a richly textured Paris and gives food a starring role. The animation animates both the small-scale chaos of rat life and the theatricality of haute cuisine, and the film sustains a sense of wonder across generations. Brad Bird directed the finished film, and Patton Oswalt's voice work as Remy gives the character warmth and humor. Ratatouille earned strong reviews on release and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Why it still works

Ratatouille remains a good family choice because it offers multiple levels of enjoyment: visual comedy for kids, clever plotting and character work for teens and adults, and a heartfelt message about creativity and dignity. It's one of Pixar's films that manages to be both entertaining and thoughtful without feeling preachy.

Recommendation

If you haven't seen Ratatouille recently, it's worth revisiting - especially if you watch with a mix of ages. The film still warms the heart and shows how animation can craft stories that matter to both children and the adults who bring them to the theater or the living room. It's a solid pick for parents and anyone who hasn't fully grown up.