Movie · 2016 · Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family · 1h 26m · PG · English
Curator score: 1.8/10 (692.3K ratings)
Ever wonder what your pets do when you're not home?
Overview
The quiet life of a terrier named Max is upended when his owner takes in Duke, a stray whom Max instantly dislikes.
Ratings
Curator score: 1.8/10
IMDb: 6.5/10
Letterboxd: 2.87/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 70%
Metacritic: 61
TMDB: 6.3/10
Director
Chris Renaud
Production
Illumination, Universal Pictures
Cast
Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate, Ellie Kemper, Albert Brooks, Lake Bell, Dana Carvey, Hannibal Buress, Bobby Moynihan, Chris Renaud, Steve Coogan, Michael Beattie, Sandra Echeverría, Jaime Camil, Kiely Renaud, Tara Strong, Jason Marsden, Mona Marshall, Brian T. Delaney
Where to watch
Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A fast, colorful, kid-friendly romp with a strong premise and a few genuinely funny supporting characters, but it leans more on broad gags and manic energy than on story or emotional depth. It works best as lightweight family entertainment rather than a standout animated feature.
Best for
families with younger kids
viewers who like brisk, joke-heavy animation
pet owners looking for a playful fantasy premise
fans of broad ensemble comedies
Skip if
you want Pixar-level emotional complexity
you dislike loud, chaotic humor
you prefer animation with sharper storytelling
you are looking for a film that feels especially fresh or timeless
Overview
The Secret Life of Pets has an easy, high-concept hook: what do pets do when people leave the house? That setup gives the movie immediate charm, and the animation is lively enough to keep the pace moving even when the plot is thin. The best stretches come from the comic contrast between domestic pet behavior and exaggerated action-movie chaos.
Worth noting
Its biggest strength is the character comedy, especially the supporting animals, who give the film most of its personality. The movie is built for quick laughs and kid-friendly energy, not for emotional nuance, and it mostly delivers on that promise. Some jokes land better than others, but the overall rhythm is accessible and crowd-pleasing.
Bottom line
If you want a polished family watch that doesn’t demand much, it does the job. If you’re hoping for a more inventive or layered animated adventure, it can feel disposable. Still, for younger viewers and pet lovers, it’s an easy recommendation on a lazy afternoon.
Top Letterboxd reviews
James (Schaffrillas) (1.5★) · 1072 likes
Now I'm just hungry for sausages
olivia 🌷 (2.5★) · 769 likes
the taylor swift welcome to new york opening scene was the best thing about this movie
jose (4★) · 744 likes
the ones who didn’t like this, clearly don’t have pets or like animals or even like to have fun
Todd Gaines (2.5★) · 522 likes
When their owners leave for the day. The pets come out to play.
Yup, this is a movie. All I remember is there's a fat pussy, a large wiener, a piggy covered in tats, a croc, a snake, some angry bird, a punk rock poodle, an illusion to an orgy, a dog in a wheelchair, stupid humans, silly cellphones, literally, a sausage party, sewers, NO SLEEP TILL BROOKLYN, dog piss, bunny shit, Kevin Hart going all Boyz n the Hood,… more
Lucy (2★) · 505 likes
i wasn't really paying attention but anyways i would die for jenny slate's voice alone