---
title: "Where the Wild Things Are"
year: 2009
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/where-the-wild-things-are"
fi1m_id: "where-the-wild-things-are"
imdb_id: "tt0386117"
tmdb_id: 16523
wikidata_id: "Q622742"
fi1m_score: 80
critics_score: 75
critics_reviews: 14
published: "2026-09-15"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:02.484766+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

Directed by Spike Jonze · 1h 41m · MPA PG · Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy

## Identity

Where the Wild Things Are

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/where-the-wild-things-are
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** where-the-wild-things-are
- **IMDb ID:** tt0386117
- **TMDB ID:** 16523
- **Wikidata ID:** Q622742
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386117/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/16523, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q622742

**Fi1m score: 80** · Critics 75 from 14 reviews

*In a sentence:* Being a monster looks exhausting, especially when everyone keeps hurting your feelings

> Spike Jonze’s fantasy understands the anger and loneliness of childhood, with its young lead giving it a difficult, believable centre. The creatures talk too much, but their hurt feelings make this a moving choice for older children and adults.

## Synopsis

A boy wrestles with loneliness, anger and the difficulty of growing up. Catherine Keener plays his mother, while his imaginative life takes him into the world of the Wild Things. Carol (voiced by James Gandolfini), KW (Lauren Ambrose) and Judith (Catherine O’Hara) are among the creatures he encounters there. Their world offers room for rough play, but being together also means dealing with other people’s hurts and demands. As he gets to know the creatures, questions of friendship and leadership become part of his adventure.

## Review

Spike Jonze takes a child’s bad moods seriously in *Where the Wild Things Are*, and that is the reason to see it. This is a moving, carefully made fantasy, carried by a child actor who never begs us to find him charming. Working with co-writer Dave Eggers, Jonze gives the boy imaginary companions whose hurts and resentments are recognisably human. Several of the creatures’ conversations could have been shorter.

Records gives us a boy who can be selfish, furious and lonely without pausing to ask which response would make him more likeable. We were upset by his early bursts of anger, because Records makes the need for attention painfully clear beneath the bad behaviour. Jonze allows the opening scenes to be unruly, and the performance has the abrupt changes of mood that make childhood difficult to live through and difficult to supervise.

K.K. Barrett’s production design and Lance Acord’s cinematography make the Wild Things’ surroundings feel solid enough to explore. The creatures have weight, and the landscapes do not look as though they have been arranged for anyone’s comfort. That matters in the rough play, when pleasure and the possibility of being hurt remain close together. The mixture of puppetry and animation lets the beasts stay odd without distancing us from their moods.

James Gandolfini’s voice gives Carol a vulnerability that makes the creature’s size less reassuring. Lauren Ambrose as KW and Catherine O’Hara as Judith help keep the beasts from sounding like variations on one unhappy person. Their voices are distinct, and each makes the need to be heard feel pressing. The combination of an imposing creature and a wounded voice makes ordinary sulking unsettling, and Jonze lets that discomfort persist without asking the actors to turn every complaint into a joke.

The slackness comes when the same emotional problems keep returning without much changing between them. Editors James Haygood and Eric Zumbrunnen preserve the freedom of the play sequences, but the longer conversations leave the middle of the film feeling padded. Karen O and Carter Burwell provide the music; the songs sometimes push for a response that the actors have already earned. At 101 minutes, this is hardly an endurance test, though a few passages give us too much time to understand feelings that were clear when a creature first opened its mouth.

For a family fantasy, it is unusually willing to let make-believe become awkward. A child can imagine creatures to play with and still find it difficult to get along with them; Jonze understands how quickly the wish for company can become a demand that everyone behave exactly as we want. Some of the parallels between the boy and the monsters are too obvious, but the performers give their unhappiness enough conviction to hold our attention. The roughness of the play is especially welcome.

Despite the PG certificate, the sadness and darker passages may trouble younger children more than the fantasy setting suggests. We recommend it most readily to older children and adults who remember being angry without knowing what to do about it. Allow for the talkative middle, and do not choose it simply because everybody is in the mood for something cuddly.

*Fi1m score 80, published 15 September 2026.*

## Straight answers

**How long is Where the Wild Things Are, and what is it rated?**

*Where the Wild Things Are* runs 1h 41m and is rated PG by the MPA in the US. It is an adventure and drama film.

**Where can I watch Where the Wild Things Are in the US?**

*Where the Wild Things Are* is streaming on Paramount+, Tubi, The Roku Channel, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from $4.99. It leaves The Roku Channel on 2 October. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**What should I watch after Where the Wild Things Are?**

After *Where the Wild Things Are*, try [*The Spirit of the Beehive*](https://film.one/film/the-spirit-of-the-beehive) (1973, Fi1m 87): For another child’s imaginative life, treated patiently and without easy reassurance. Then [*My Neighbour Totoro*](https://film.one/film/my-neighbor-totoro) (1988, Fi1m 89): Another encounter between children and enormous creatures, with more comfort in the company; and [*Petite Maman*](https://film.one/film/petite-maman) (2021, Fi1m 88): Childhood make-believe becomes a way to approach feelings adults cannot easily explain.

### Reviews we read (17)

- **Empire**, Dan Jolin (80/100, inferred): Jonze delivers a plotless, bittersweet mood-piece that laments the passing of childhood while celebrating its rough, imaginative play. The Wild Things are reimagined as deeply human figures representing aspects of Max's psyche, brought to life through subtle effects and strong voice work. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/wild-things-2-review/)
- **Time Out**, Ben Walters (4/5): Jonze expands the slim picture book into a psychologically realistic and visually grounded fantasy that evocatively captures the timbre of childhood imagining. The critic praises the solid, tactile creature designs and young lead performance but notes it can feel ponderous and over-determined at times. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/where-the-wild-things-are)
- **Screen Daily** (75/100, inferred): Jonze delivers a creative, melancholic portrait of a child coming to terms with growing up through this adaptation. The review singles out the imaginative, tactile visual approach blending puppetry and modern techniques, along with the genuine emotional depth, as strengths. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/where-the-wild-things-are/5006636.article)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (70/100, inferred): The critic describes the film as a subdued, deadpan and slightly depressive expansion of the book into a psychological study of childhood loneliness and dysfunction. It grew on him as an intriguing oddity that falls between adult and child sensibilities, darker and colder than expected, with clever design but little Christmas jollity. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/dec/10/where-the-wild-things-are-review)
- **Little White Lies**, Matt Bochenski (5/3/4): Jonze's adaptation of the classic children's book delivers mixed results overall. The critic highlights the technical achievement of the creature designs and performances as a standout element amid narrative inconsistencies. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/where-the-wild-things-are)
- **The New Yorker**, David Denby (60/100, inferred): Finds the opening sequences sensationally good at capturing a boy's impetuousness and egotism, with the monsters rendered faithfully and some scenes peerless in freedom and warmth. Complains that the creatures become too talkative and peevish, turning the film into something about futility rather than liberation. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/10/19/naughty-boys)
- **Slant Magazine**, Ed Gonzalez: Jonze's adaptation movingly projects a boy's troubled psyche onto the wild things' world, distilling emotions to their essence and showing imagination as spiritual maturation. The film is a rich, haunting evocation of adolescence despite some overly obvious parallels and intrusive songs. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/where-the-wild-things-are/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**: The film succeeds visually in realizing a child's imaginative world through puppetry and animation but falters in its adaptation, which lacks strong emotions and fails to captivate. The slender source material results in a repetitive, moralistic story that may weary adults. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/wild-film-review-93644/)
- **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (Critic's Pick): Praises Jonze's adaptation as an intensely original and haunting work of art that stands up to and sometimes surpasses its source material. Singles out the director's filmmaking for exceeding his previous features in charm, delight, and beauty. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/16/movies/16where.html)
- **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (A+): The critic calls the film honest, courageous, heartfelt, and the best of 2009. They single out Max Records' completely authentic performance as the emotional foundation and Jonze's growth as a director. [Read](https://collider.com/review-where-the-wild-things-are/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Jon Lyus (90/100, inferred): Spike Jonze faithfully captures the spirit of Maurice Sendak's book in a sublime, childlike fantasy that blends euphoria and violence. The film excels in its central performance, stunning creature effects, and emotionally resonant camerawork that evokes the fluidity of childhood play. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/review-where-the-wild-things-are/)
- **The Playlist**, Rodrigo Perez (90/100, inferred): Spike Jonze delivers an extraordinarily captivating and honest depiction of childhood traumas through an intimate, raw adaptation that is emotionally textured and joyous in its play sequences. The film is a personal, tender $100 million art movie with a devastatingly wistful ending. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/where-wild-things-are-review-pains-of-20091015/)
- **Eye for Film**, Leanne McGrath (85/100, inferred): Spike Jonze creates a breathtaking fantasy world using stunning puppetry, CGI, and voice talent that forms a masterpiece. The film is dark in places and may upset young children, but it effectively expands the simple book into an engaging story about leadership and emotions. [Read](http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/where-the-wild-things-are-film-review-by-leanne-mcgrath)
- **Den of Geek**, Ron Hogan (4/5): The critic finds it an exceptionally moving but morose adaptation that explores childhood emotions through the monsters, praising the creature design and voice acting, but notes padding and that it's not suitable for young children. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/where-the-wild-things-are-review/)
- **The Skinny**, Keir Roper-Caldbeck (4/5): The critic praises the vivid first fifteen minutes capturing a child's world but criticizes the named monsters as miserable and the focus on psychodramas over a gripping story for children, while noting interest in the landscapes, puppets and oddness. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/where-the-wild-things-are)
- **Digital Spy**, Stella Papamichael (70/100, inferred): The critic praises the gorgeous world and distinct beast voices but notes the story lacks dramatic drive for younger viewers, offering rewards mainly for older children and adults in its sobering yet ethereal take on the book. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a190271/where-the-wild-things-are/)
- **Paste**, Andy Beta (40/100, inferred): The critic finds the early scenes capture the manic mood swings of childhood poignantly, but the middle section bogs down with mopey creatures, meandering shots, and a plot devoid of conflict. The adaptation ultimately fails to become an imaginative film. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/where-the-wild-things-are-review)

## Details

- **Director:** Spike Jonze
- **Director:** Spike Jonze
- **Screenplay:** Spike Jonze, Dave Eggers
- **Cinematography:** Lance Acord
- **Editor:** James Haygood, Eric Zumbrunnen
- **Music:** Karen O, Carter Burwell
- **Production design:** K.K. Barrett
- **Costume design:** Casey Storm
- **Producer:** Maurice Sendak, Tom Hanks, Vincent Landay
- **Cast:** Max Records as Max; Catherine Keener as Mom; James Gandolfini as Carol (voice); Lauren Ambrose as KW (voice); Catherine O'Hara as Judith (voice); Forest Whitaker as Ira (voice); Chris Cooper as Douglas (voice); Paul Dano as Alexander (voice)
- **Runtime:** 1h 41m
- **Certificate (MPA):** PG
- **Release (the US):** 16 October 2009
- **Genres:** Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy
- **Budget:** $100 million
- **Box office:** $100 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6DD3K86X8k

## Where to watch in the US

- Paramount+: streaming
- Tubi: free, hd
- The Roku Channel: free, hd, leaving 2026-10-02
- Hulu: add-on, hd
- The Roku Channel: add-on, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: add-on
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $4.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $12.99, hd

*Checked 2026-09-15.*

Also available in: AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CL, CO, DE, ES, FI, FR, GB, IE, IN, IT, MX, NL, NZ, PL, PT, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *The Spirit of the Beehive* (1973), Fi1m 87: For another child’s imaginative life, treated patiently and without easy reassurance. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-spirit-of-the-beehive.md)
- *My Neighbour Totoro* (1988), Fi1m 89: Another encounter between children and enormous creatures, with more comfort in the company. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/my-neighbor-totoro.md)
- *The Red Balloon* (1956): A lonely child finds companionship in a fantasy with little need for talk.
- *A Monster Calls* (2016): For older children, another imposing creature gives difficult feelings a voice.
- *Petite Maman* (2021), Fi1m 88: Childhood make-believe becomes a way to approach feelings adults cannot easily explain. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/petite-maman.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/where-the-wild-things-are