Lady and the Tramp is one of the stars coming to Disney+ on Day 1. Is this going on your must-see list? In this Lady and the Tramp review, I share why this needs to be on the What to Watch First on Disney+ list.
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What To Watch First On Disney+: Lady and the Tramp
The story is a classic, but the live-action version takes some risks.
Does the latest version of Lady and the Tramp pay off? Can you expect to let the whole family sit down for this version?
Short answers: yes and yes. Let me explain why you’re going to love Lady and the Tramp and why it needs to be on your “what to watch first on Disney+” list for your whole family.
What’s Lady and the Tramp About?
In Disney+’s “Lady and the Tramp,” a timeless retelling of the 1955 animated classic, a pampered house dog and a tough but lovable stray embark on an unexpected adventure and, despite their differences, grow closer and come to understand the value of home.
This Updated Classic Is Still a Classic: Lady and the Tramp Review
Full disclosure: I’m a dog lover. So I’ll admit to some bias towards this live-action version of Lady and the Tramp since real dogs were starring in the movie.
And yes, they are absolutely perfect and adorable. This is not The Lion King.
The CGI needed to create animals talking and some of their actions doesn’t take away from the charm of the dog actors here. After settling in, you hardly notice the moving mouths- or at least barely question it.
And dogs just emote so much better than Lions, I think.
The story most of us know and love is still intact, with a few modifications to bring a bit of modernization to the tale. We have an inter-racial couple, multicultural cast, a Jackie instead of a Jock, and the Siamese cats have been replaced.
All of that was a risk, but it’s ones that brought a 2019 sensibility to the movie set in 1910. There’s nothing wrong with this one!
We have a change in the big cat song (and I think it works!) and a multi-cultural human cast that absolutely shines.
Thomas Mann and Kiersey Clemons are delightful as Jim Dear and Darling. I especially loved how Clemons has a little more edge to her version of Darling than we saw in the original. She goes full Momma Bear at one point and I wanted to kiss director Charlie Bean for allowing that moment to play as it did.
Tessa Thompson’s and Justin Theroux’s distinctive voices add just the right amount of attitude for the dog characters. And you can’t help but love the genius casting decision of Sam Elliot as Trusty.
You can hear him in this picture, amirite?
Lady and the Tramp Podcast Review On Now Streaming Disney Plus
Andrea and I reviewed Lady and the Tramp ahead of the release.
Take a listen to the Now Streaming Disney Plus podcast review- non-spoiler, of course! Though I think it would be hard to find a way to spoil Lady and the Tramp considering its classic status.
Parent Review: What Ages Should Watch Lady and the Tramp on Disney+?
Can your kids watch the Disney Plus version of Lady and the Tramp? Yes, absolutely.
Lady and the Tramp is perfectly family-friendly and should be enjoyed by kids ages 3 and up.
I might say proceed with caution for 3-years-old and under due to the fact that this movie is on the longer side. I don’t know a ton of kids that age who can sit and watch a 2-hour long movie without fidgeting.
However, since you’re streaming Lady and the Tramp from your home TV, I suppose it really doesn’t matter if the little ones get bored. They can always play quietly while you enjoy the sweet notes of Bella Notte!
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Patty Holliday is a parent movie reviewer, writer, and podcaster living in the Washington, DC area. Her goal is to bridge the gap between casual fandom and picky critic with parent movie and television reviews. As a lifelong fangirl and pop culture connoisseur, she’s been creating online since 2009. You can find her work at No-Guilt Disney.com, No-Guilt Fangirl.com, No-Guilt Life, and as host of the top-rated No-Guilt Disney Podcast.