THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS
Three friends – an elephant, a gorilla, and a stray dog – live together in a rundown mall. Ivan, the gorilla, loves to make art and watch TV. He has grown accustom to his cramped environment and has accepted his circumstances. Then, a baby elephant moves into the mall. Ivan realizes this baby elephant deserves a better life than this – and that he and his friends deserve a better life as well. Ivan contrives a way to save them all.
The One and Only Ivan is a charming modern classic about friendship, art, and hope.
The good:
- Emphasis on the importance of keeping your promises
- Emphasis on the importance of supporting friends
- The power of art to communicate beyond language
- Memories are precious; they help tell us who we are
- You are not stuck in your circumstances
- Even if you have experienced hardship, you can heal and begin again
Content of which to be aware:
- Slang, insults, exclamations, or profanity: “heck,” “doggone it,” “idiot,” “stupid,” etc.
- A child’s mother is dealing with a prolonged illness
- Poachers kill a herd of elephants; mentioned but not graphic
- Poachers kill gorillas and chop off their hands, feet, and heads; mentioned but not graphic
- Divorce is mentioned
- An elephant has an infection; the owner does not call a veterinarian, and the elephant dies
- Someone throws three puppies out of a truck onto a freeway; two of the puppies die
- A seal dies from eating 100 pennies
- A boy falls into a gorilla enclosure at a zoo
- A man is angry and throws tables and chairs
- People protest for animal rights
- Children bully a girl
- A gorilla throws feces at people
- Man throws a soda can at a bird
- According to Ivan, kissing is called “face licking”
