DEAR MR. WATTERSON
A nostalgic, entertaining celebration of childhood imagination.
Should You Watch It?
DEAR MR. WATTERSON takes you back to the world of Calvin and Hobbes and explains why the comic strip mattered so deeply to children, cartoonists, and adult readers. The documentary is entertaining, informative, and filled with comforting nostalgia for anyone who grew up reading the strip.
It also celebrates childhood imagination and considers how stories shape children’s hearts and minds. The film is almost free of foul language, but it includes two obscenities, one light profanity, a crude image, and a shoplifting reference.
If you are sharing this with younger children, review those brief concerns first. For older children and adults, especially Calvin and Hobbes fans, this is worth the trip.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESDEAR MR. WATTERSON explores the beloved comic strip Calvin and Hobbes, which ran in newspapers from 1985 to 1995. Calvin is an imaginative six-year-old boy, and Hobbes is his stuffed tiger, loyal friend, and fellow adventurer.
Rather than interviewing the private creator, Bill Watterson, director Joel Schroeder speaks with cartoonists, historians, comedian and actor Seth Green, and other fans about the strip’s cultural impact and continuing influence.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is a highly enjoyable, accomplished documentary. It is very well produced, with clever editing and animation. Director Joel Schroeder keeps the pace swift and avoids dull moments.
The film is both entertaining and informative. Its interviews explain why Calvin and Hobbes could satisfy a child’s imagination while also engaging an adult’s intellect. The result is a lively tribute that should especially delight longtime readers.
The Worldview
DEAR MR. WATTERSON presents a light, redemptive worldview centered on childhood imagination and the power stories can have over children’s hearts and minds. It treats Calvin and Hobbes as more than entertainment, showing how the strip influenced readers and inspired cartoonists.
The documentary also explores Bill Watterson’s refusal to let Calvin and Hobbes be merchandised. Interviewees disagree about whether that decision protected the strip’s artistic credibility or missed an opportunity to reach more people. The film presents the choice as a meaningful question about art, money, and influence without settling the debate.
There is one Christian reference, when an interviewee says “Thank God” twice. That brief acknowledgment of gratitude sits alongside the film’s larger appreciation for imagination and stories. Scripture likewise recognizes the importance of what shapes the mind: “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable…think about these things” (Philippians 4:8).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Light moral, redemptive worldview celebrating childhood imagination and reminding audiences the power that stories have over children, including one man says “Thank God” twice; two obscenities and one light profanity, a shot of the infamous bumper stick of Calvin urinating; no violence; no sexual content; no nudity; no alcohol; no smoking or drugs; and, a woman states that her first and last crime was shoplifting a Calvin and Hobbes book.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Calvin and Hobbes reached both children and adults. What stories have shaped the way you imagine, think, or understand the world?
Philippians 4:8 · Romans 12:2The documentary asks what happens when stories capture children’s hearts and minds. How can your family choose stories that encourage what is good?
Deuteronomy 6:6–7 · Colossians 3:16Bill Watterson refused to merchandise Calvin and Hobbes, and the interviewees disagree about that choice. When should artistic convictions matter more than financial gain?
Matthew 6:19–21 · 1 Corinthians 10:31One interviewee says “Thank God” for the time Calvin and Hobbes ran. What gifts from God do you tend to notice only when you look back?
James 1:17 · Psalm 103:2The Final Word
DEAR MR. WATTERSON is a polished, warm, and informative celebration of imagination, memory, and the lasting influence of stories. Its brief language and crude imagery call for parental discernment with younger children, but older children and adults should find much to enjoy. WORTH THE TRIP — OLDER CHILDREN AND ADULTS.
