OSMOSIS JONES
Clever animation cannot rescue its strong gross-out humor.
Should You Watch It?
The animated half of Osmosis Jones has a clever idea and colorful, well-produced adventure. Inside Frank’s body, a white blood cell and a cold tablet battle a deadly virus through a world of highways, airports, police officers, and bodily systems. The concept is inventive, and the animated sequences are often entertaining.
But the live-action material overwhelms those strengths. It includes several very strong gross-out scenes, especially vomiting and a festering pimple on Bill Murray’s forehead. The source review says this material should have earned a PG-13 rating and that families should steer clear.
The movie does include moral elements: Frank eventually redeems his bad behavior, and Osmosis Jones and Drix work desperately to stop the virus. Even so, the practical answer is clear: SKIP IT for family viewing.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESFrank is an overweight, slobbish single father who works as a zookeeper while caring for his preteen daughter, Shane. After a nasty virus enters his body, the action moves inside Frank, where Osmosis Jones, a white blood cell detective, must stop the infection.
Jones is paired with Drix, a pompous 12-hour cold tablet. Together, they face the virus, Frank’s unhealthy habits, and obstacles within the body’s government-like system.
Is It Any Good?
Two stars means the film has a worthwhile idea but falls short in execution. The animated world is colorful, imaginative, and often entertaining. Writer Marc Hyman cleverly combines the premise of Fantastic Voyage with the conventions of a buddy-cop movie.
The film’s live-action sequences are poorly directed and dominated by juvenile gross-out humor. The performances are competent rather than great, though Bill Murray fits Frank’s simultaneously lovable and disgusting character. The animation and imagery representing Frank’s internal organs are the strongest craft elements.
The Worldview
The film presents a slight pagan worldview that avoids talking about God, though the source review does not describe it as humanist. Its internal world is organized around a mayor, police officers, and a large government-like structure governing Frank’s body. A sculpture of an animated sperm is titled “Our Founder,” a detail that leaves God out of the Creation equation.
The movie does offer some moral elements. Frank eventually redeems his bad behavior, while Osmosis Jones and Drix risk themselves to stop a villainous virus and save Frank’s life. The film also includes politically correct preaching about health matters. Still, its gross humor and worldview make the moral elements difficult to recommend as family entertainment.
The film’s treatment of the body can prompt a more important question about its absent Creator. Scripture begins with a clearer foundation: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Slight pagan worldview which avoids talking about God, though not in a humanist way, with some moral elements & some politically correct preachiness about health matters; 1 darn it, 3 light exclamatory profanities (“My God”), animated cell inside character’s body says, “Holy Frank,” man shows mouth full of food in live action sequence, animated sequences set inside man’s body, including his bladder & bowels, & very gross live action scenes with runny nose, vomiting & festering pimple; action cartoon violence where animated cells attack animated viruses & bacteria, animated virus slices other animated creatures & organs with sharp pointy finger, animated creatures & organs turn red after virus slashes them with sharp pointy finger, falling, & intense live action scene set in hospital where girl watches her father nearly die; no sex or sexual immorality; minor, brief naturalistic nudity; simulated alcohol use by animated characters; no smoking; and, gross live action scenes, organized crime references for comic effect, allusion to talking to a dead loved one when character undergoes a near death experience, animated world seems to be ruled by a big government structure, & sculpture of an animated sperm is titled “Our Founder,” which kind of leaves God out of the Creation equation.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Frank’s unhealthy choices affect both his own life and his daughter. What responsibilities do we have for caring for the bodies and people God has entrusted to us?
1 Corinthians 6:19–20 · Philippians 2:4The film’s internal world is organized around a mayor and government structure. What makes a leader wise, just, and worthy of trust?
Proverbs 29:2 · Mark 10:42–45Frank eventually redeems his bad behavior. How is changing one’s conduct different from repentance before God?
2 Corinthians 7:10 · Acts 3:19The Final Word
Osmosis Jones has a creative animated premise and some moral elements, but its strong live-action gross-out humor makes it unsuitable for families. For a better family movie choice, see. SKIP IT.
