Adoption at the Movies : Un Gallo Con Muchos Huevos Adoption Movie Review

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Un Gallo Con Muchos Huevos Adoption Movie Review

When his owner’s farm is on the verge of being sold due to bankruptcy, a scrawny young rooster named Toto agrees to attempt to save the farm by fighting a champion rooster at the cockfighting arena in the big city. He must overcome insurmountable odds and his own lack of confidence in order to save the day. He is trained by the father of his girlfriend – a former prizefighter who has was disgraced in a fight with a duck, and by the son of that duck.

The Adoption Connection

There is no specific adoption connection. However, the plot of the story is driven by the stability of the characters’ home being threatened, and that might be especially resonant with kids who’ve been in foster care. There’s also a “coming of age” theme as we follow Toto from egg to chick to young rooster to an emerging adult. The farm could be seen as a positive depiction of a cross-cultural family, as the farmer’s widow, chickens, dogs and eggs all work together to keep the farm together.

On the other hand, kids who identify with the characters might be bothered that the widow has tearfully put the farm up for sale, including all of the animals. One character has been told that his father has been eaten by a crocodile, but persists in believing that his father will come back.

Strong Points

Toto benefits from the unconditional support of his mother, girlfriend, and girlfriend’s father. This film demonstrates the value of emotional support from others. It also highlights the importance of self-confidence. One character tells Toto, “Your thoughts create action.”

Challenges

The film does seem to glorify fighting as a way to solve problems and as a mark of manhood.

Parents and kids might be misled by the film’s friendly animation style. It’s a PG-13 film with quite a few sex jokes that might be uncomfortable for parents with young kids. However, the film is in Spanish with English subtitles, so kids who can’t read English or speak Spanish wouldn’t be able to follow the story.

Weak Points

In an attempt to rattle Toto before the fight, a villain attempts to have Toto’s mother and girlfriend kidnapped.

Recommendations

In spite of its animated appearance, Un Gallo Con Muchos Huevos (English title: Little Rooster’s Egg-cellent Adventure) is mostly geared towards teens and adults. The story isn’t particularly compelling, and some viewers might find it boring. At its core, this one is the story of an unlikely hero coming of age in an attempt at saving the day. There’s some adoption relevance in that a diverse family works together, and also in the fact that the permanency of Toto’s home is threatened. This might be a good choice for teens ages 13-16 and their parents.