Inside of his book, adventurous Harold can make anything come to life simply by drawing it. After he grows up and draws himself off the book's pages and into the physical world, Harold finds he has a lot to learn about real life. (from IMDB)

Family movies always seem to be a mixed bag. While I can't say the trailers for Harold and the Purple Crayon didn't look like the movie could be too goofy for its own good, I've enjoyed watching Zachary Levi since his days in the TV show Chuck, and I've since also enjoyed his performances in the two Shazam films for DC. But the fish-out-of-water premise about a cartoon character (in this case, from a childrens book) coming to the real world isn't necessarily the most original concept. Enchanted, for example, or even Elf immediately come to mind. But Levi can play the innocent, boyish charm with ease, and he seems perfect for this kind of role.

What's interesting to me about this movie's premise is that Harold's entire motivation for coming to the real world is in search of his maker. It's not hard at all to draw comparisons to one's search for God, either, and there seemed more than just a couple hints at this kind of idea throughout the film -- even if the end result deviated considerably from that notion. But in this story, Harold comes in contact with a discouraged single mother named Terry - played by Zooey Deschanel - and her son, Mel, who appear to need a dose of the kind of relentless optimism that Harold radiates. He and his pal Moose (a literal moose that turns into Lil Rel Howery in the real world) quickly latch onto them, and Mel soon finds new hope and joy in his life. In fact, the upbeat and imaginative nature of the film - no matter how silly it gets at times - is what makes Harold and the Purple Crayon a really enjoyable watch. While there is a suprisingly dismal turn later in the story - that is short-lived and inevitably undone (think Elf) - the bulk of Harold and the Purple Crayon is just pure joy. So if you can stomach the silliness and goofy antics of Levi and Howery, Harold is kind of a delight.

Again, the DNA of the movie isn't exactly original, but that doesn't necessarily make it null and void either. Harold conjures up some really fun stuff with his purple crayon, and it can spark even some of that youthful imagination in the adults watching. But all in all, Harold and the Purple Crayon is a kids movie. It's got some laughs and lots of heart, and it thematically aims to remind adults who've lost the joy in their passions and dreams to rediscover them. For example, Terry was once a musician who loved to play the piano, but after the death of her husband, she lost the heart for performing, surrendering to a mundane life working at a local Ollie's discount store. But through Harold's unbridled optimism, he helps Terry rediscover her love for music, and it's a lesson many adults can learn from these days. The stresses of adulthood and parenthood can extinguish the passions in life all too easily, and sometimes we just need a little nudge to remember how important they are to us.

Content-wise, Harold and the Purple Crayon is pretty family friendly. The single mom/fatherless son theme might be sensitive to some viewers, but it isn't dwelled on too much. There's a good dose of action in the movie, but it's mostly pretty mild - and never lethal. Two instances briefly show blood when Harold gets a little cut on his finger and we see it in close-up, and later when Mel accidentally elbows a school bully in the face when he grabs him, causing the bully to have a bloody nose (but it isn't focused on). The climax of the movie features some crayon-wielding fighting between Harold and the film's villain, but it's mostly done in a rather fun and entertaining way. There's nearly no profanity in the movie, but there is one "Oh my G-d" and one barely noticeable "Oh, G-d." For the most part, Harold and the Purple Crayon is an upbeat and fun film that keeps things pretty light for most of its runtime.

Harold and the Purple Crayon may be not be the most original family film, nor may it be for everyone, but it offers enough lighthearted fun to be worth checking out if it looks like the brand of silliness you might like. If Levi's style of relentless glee and joy doesn't get on your nerves, Harold is an enjoyable family movie for viewers of all ages.

How to Draw Harold, Porcupine, & Moose (5:43) - Pascal Campion, Head of Animation, uses a digital screen to show us how to draw Harold, Porcupine, and Moose.

"Colors" Sing Along (1:33) - This is a lyric video for the song at the end of the movie "Colors." The song is performed by Boots Ottestad feat. Jordy Searcy, and the video features various clips from the movie.

How Do You Spell Imagination? (1:54) - This brief segment features Zooey, Zach and Lil Rel Howery taking turns taking a letter from the word "imagination" and using it to encourage viewers with different ways to use their imagination.

Deleted Scenes (7:13)

1. Harold and the Crosswalk (0:32) - In this short moment, Harold thinks the "Walk/Don't Walk" street sign means he should walk slowly and like a robot while crossing the street.
2. Gary at the Police Station (0:53) - Gary shows up at the police station -- after Harold and his friends escape -- because he wanted to post bail for them (he hadn't known they escaped). The cops tell him to wait there for questioning, but Gary sneaks out.
3. Death by Chocolate (2:17) - Harold and Gary sit in a restaurant after everything went bad for Harold. Harold genuinely thinks eating a dessert called "Death by Chocolate" will kill him, and he eats it expecting it to be his way of giving up.
4. Vendor Interview (0:40) - A park vendor talks to two cops about what he saw when he saw Harold and his friends using the crayon.
5. Porcupine Break In (0:52) - While inside someone else's house (after she wanders in), Porcupine drinks wine she finds in a glass in the kitchen before she tries some cake lying out and then lounges on a nearby couch. The owners of the house find her and she dashes out the door.
6. Moose on the Loose at Ollie's (0:57) - We see Moose playing with a fishing rod, then trying to get into a hammock, then scratching his back on a fake tree, and finally trying to make s'mores while watching real moose play in a field on a big screen display in the store.
7. Porcupine Diner Disruption (1:02) - This is an extended version of Porcupine causing trouble in the diner. After a waitress scolds a child for drawing on a table top, Porcupine grabs a marker and draws on a framed photo on the wall. She then defiantly eats some items from the salad bar, and as the waitress scolds her, Porcupine rubs her back on a booth to leave her "scent" in the diner before she runs toward the door.