Ivy + Bean (2022)
Story overview
Ivy + Bean is a 2022 family adventure comedy about two very different 7-year-old girls who become unlikely friends. Ivy is quiet, thoughtful, and observant, while Bean is playful, exuberant, and fearless. The film follows their journey as they discover that opposites can complement each other perfectly, leading to heartwarming adventures and valuable lessons about friendship, acceptance, and embracing differences.
Parent Guide
Completely family-friendly film with positive messages about friendship and acceptance. No concerning content of any kind.
Content breakdown
No violence or peril. The adventures are gentle and age-appropriate, involving typical childhood play and exploration.
Nothing scary or disturbing. The tone is consistently light, cheerful, and uplifting throughout.
No inappropriate language. All dialogue is clean and age-appropriate for young children.
No sexual content or nudity. The focus is entirely on childhood friendship and adventure.
No substance use of any kind. The characters are young children engaged in wholesome activities.
Mild emotional moments related to friendship and understanding differences. The overall tone is positive and uplifting with no intense emotional scenes.
Parent tips
This TV-G rated film is perfectly safe for all ages with no concerning content. It's an excellent choice for family viewing that celebrates friendship between different personalities. The 58-minute runtime makes it ideal for younger attention spans. Parents might appreciate the positive messages about accepting others who are different from you.
Parent chat guide
Parent follow-up questions
- Which girl did you like more - Ivy or Bean? Why?
- What was your favorite part of their adventure?
- Do you have a friend who is different from you?
- What games do you like to play with your friends?
- Why do you think Ivy and Bean didn't want to be friends at first?
- What did each girl learn from the other?
- Have you ever judged someone before getting to know them?
- What qualities make someone a good friend?
- How does the film show that differences can strengthen friendships?
- What stereotypes about 'quiet' or 'loud' people does the movie challenge?
- Have you ever had a friendship that surprised you?
- What personal qualities do you value most in friends?
- How does the film portray childhood friendships authentically?
- What social dynamics between children does the movie capture well?
- How might Ivy and Bean's friendship evolve as they grow older?
- What lessons about acceptance and diversity can adults learn from this story?
🎭 Story Kernel
At its core, 'Ivy + Bean' explores the transformative power of unlikely friendships through the lens of childhood imagination. The film isn't just about two girls becoming friends—it's about how their contrasting personalities create a symbiotic relationship that allows each to grow. Ivy's quiet creativity finds expression through Bean's boldness, while Bean's restless energy finds direction through Ivy's thoughtful planning. Their initial resistance to friendship mirrors how children (and adults) often judge based on surface differences, only to discover that complementary traits create stronger bonds. The movie celebrates how childhood friendships form through shared adventures rather than calculated compatibility, reminding us that sometimes the people we least expect become our most important allies.
🎬 Visual Aesthetics
The film employs a warm, saturated color palette that mirrors the girls' vibrant imaginations, with particular emphasis on greens and earth tones that ground the story in their neighborhood adventures. Camera work often adopts a child's-eye perspective—low angles and close-ups that make ordinary backyards feel like expansive worlds. The visual contrast between Ivy's organized, book-filled room and Bean's chaotic, active household visually reinforces their personality differences. When the girls collaborate on their 'potions,' the cinematography shifts to magical realism, with subtle lighting effects and slightly surreal compositions that show how their combined imaginations transform mundane reality. The neighborhood itself becomes a character through establishing shots that make suburban spaces feel both safe and full of secret possibilities.
🔍 Details & Easter Eggs
💡 Behind the Scenes
The film adapts the first book in Annie Barrows' popular children's book series, with the author serving as an executive producer to maintain the stories' authentic voice. Young actors Keslee Blalock (Ivy) and Madison Skye Validum (Bean) underwent a 'friendship boot camp' before filming to develop natural chemistry. Much of the neighborhood filming occurred in Vancouver, Canada, with production designers carefully creating homes that reflected each family's personality—Ivy's orderly, bookish household versus Bean's lively, slightly chaotic one. Director Elissa Down emphasized practical effects over CGI for the magical elements, wanting the girls' adventures to feel achievable with household items, mirroring how children actually play.
Where to watch
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- Netflix
- Netflix Standard with Ads
Trailer
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