A Sloth Story * A Heartfelt Theme, Great Animation And Complex Characters Like A Sloth Who Wants To Move Fast!
After a terrifying storm destroys their home, a speedy sloth named Laura and her kooky family move to the big city in their rusted old food truck hoping to make their business a success.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Zoey F. comments, “I really like A Sloth Story! It has a heartfelt theme, great animation and complex characters. I especially like the animation which is extremely unique and beautiful. I also find the idea of a sloth wanting to go fast humorous. Laura is constantly saying that everyone is too slow for her. This is a bit ironic considering sloths are slow-moving animals.” Adele B. adds, “The movie has a terrific balance of comical and heartwarming moments. I constantly found myself entertained and laughing. I especially loved watching Luis’s character with his fun sense of humor despite his challenges. Laura’s family always supports her and has her back.” Luna C. wraps it up with, “A Sloth Story is a delightful and unexpected film, brimming with real-life moments, valuable lessons, and a refreshing dose of hard work that kept me hooked from start to finish.” See their full reviews below.
A Sloth Story
By Zoey F., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 10
I really like A Sloth Story! It has a heartfelt theme, great animation and complex characters.
The plot follows Laura (Teo Vergara), a young sloth as she goes through the struggles of her life. Laura feels as though no one, especially her mother, Mama (Olivia Vasquez), takes her seriously. But after a horrible storm her family is forced to move to the city. Laura’s idol, Dotty Paste (Leslie Jones) is also in the city, motivating her to want to go. After business at Laura’s family’s café starts booming, Dotty gets jealous. She devises a plan to steal Mama’s recipe book. Now, the Romero-Flores’ family must try to find a way to get the precious recipe book back!
One aspect I especially like is the animation which is extremely unique and beautiful. I also find the idea of a sloth wanting to go fast humorous. Laura is constantly saying that everyone is too slow for her. This is a bit ironic considering sloths are slow-moving animals. I also enjoyed the complexity of Mama’s character. She is portrayed as Laura’s main enemy. Laura feels as though her mother is always getting in her way. But it turns out that Mama was exactly like Laura when she was young. Her age is a huge struggle for her, and she keeps forgetting things, but she keeps Lyra close in fear of forgetting Laura too.
A Sloth Story explores the rich culture of Spanish culture and is incorporated in the food, language, and clothing in the film. This adds 
a lot to the movie.
The message of A Sloth Story is about the importance of family. This is shown when Laura sacrifices so much for her family. She is constantly reminded that her family is her ultimate team, which is an important theme to remember.
I give A Sloth Story 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 12. It releases in theaters February 28, 2025.
A Sloth Story
By Adele Rayna B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 11
A Sloth Story is an exciting family friendly movie with heartwarming themes. The story takes you on a dynamic adventure that kept me on the edge of my seat with so many hilarious moments. Overall, the vibrant and crisp animation brings to life the engaging and unique character designs.
The story follows Laura (Teo Vergara), a young sloth whose family owns a restaurant. After an unexpected storm destroys their restaurant, they move to the city to start over, but business isn’t so good and Laura‘s Mom (Olivia Vasquez) and Dad (Ben Gorrono) start to think maybe the move to the big city wasn’t such a good idea. Laura comes up with the idea to bring in more business which works well, but the owner of a competing restaurant (Leslie Jones) is jealous . Laura and her family embark on a mission fighting for their family legacy. You’ll have to watch to find out if it works.
The movie has a terrific balance of comical and heartwarming moments. I constantly found myself entertained and laughing. I especially loved watching Luis’s character with his fun sense of humor despite his challenges. Laura’s family always supports her and has her back. I like Laura and her brother Mani’s (Facundo Hache Herrera) relationship. They are believable as playful and loveable siblings. A perfect moment is when Laura comforts Mani, when he thinks his ideas for the mural are terrible. And, in the next scene we see him pick on Laura, but in a sweet way. One of my most memorable moments is the way the mom, Gabriella, is there for her daughter by putting her above all else. It’s very touching and shows true love.
The animation kept my attention with its crispness and smooth character movement. It makes it very easy to watch, like effortless paint strokes across canvas. The animation is very detailed such as the scene where little sparks form around Laura’s head to highlight her worried feelings. To show excitement they added stars in her eyes. I love the overall character designs – Laura’s character is fantastic, right down to the details of her necklace and the striking color of her pink belt. I also love Dotti’s suit as it’s very colorful and it shows her bubbly, yet mischievous, personality.
The film’s message is that family always has your back and believes in you when it matters most. Family can always see the spark in you and will stop at nothing to protect that.
I give A Sloth Story 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 12, plus adults. It releases in theaters on February 28, 2025.
A Sloth Story
By Luna C., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 9
A Sloth Story is a delightful and unexpected film, brimming with real-life moments, valuable lessons, and a refreshing dose of hard work that kept me hooked from start to finish.
After a devastating storm destroys their rural home, Laura (Teo Vergara), a quick-witted sloth, and her quirky family move to the bustling big city. Eager to make their food truck business a success, they must adapt to the fast-paced, high-energy expectations of city life. Along the way, Laura juggles her responsibilities as a team member in her family business while also playing on a cricket team with her new friends.
This is a charming, heartfelt film. I appreciate the relatable animation and storyline – even though the film features animals, the environments and situations are familiar to real life. One of my favorite moments is when Laura finally finds time to bond with her cricket team. It’s heartwarming to see her kind and welcoming relationship with her teammates. The music, composed by Aalex Heffe, is another standout element.
With its Spanish influence, it adds a vibrant rhythm to the film that had me tapping my feet along with the characters.
The film offers two key messages: sometimes what we think we want isn’t what we truly need and home is wherever you put your heart.
I give A Sloth Story 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 2 to 12, or anyone who enjoys a story about family, friendship, and traditions. It releases in theaters on February 28, 2025.
