Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade(2003)

12/09/2003 (US)Family, Comedy, Animation1h 2m

6.5

"Wow ... fifth grade! But what good is practically being a grown-up when the teacher's a big sourpuss?"

Overview

Everyone's favorite fourth graders have graduated! It's an all-new school year for the kids — and the gang hits the fifth grade running! But they're stopped in their tracks when they discover some unwelcome changes — no pizza, no playground... no lockers! And to make things worse, their teacher turns out to be the cantankerous Miss Finster! It's all too much for T.J., who is determined to find a way to stand up for what the gang believes in and improve the school they love! The fifth grade brings out the best in everyone... even Miss Finster and Principal Prickly!

Bart Jennett

Writer

Elijah Aron

Writer

Howy Parkins

Director

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Part of the Recess Collection

The film collection follows the "Recess Gang," a group of young friends using creativity and resourcefulness to tackle school and neighborhood challenges. Central themes include friendship, teamwork, and courage, as the gang protects recess, prevents summer break cancellation, stands against bullying, and navigates daily life changes. These films appeal through childhood nostalgia, charming animated characters, and a blend of comedy, adventure, and drama. Each movie emphasizes the joy and innocence of childhood, the importance of unity, perseverance, and standing up for what's right. The vibrant animation and dynamic character designs enhance the captivating adventures.

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Recess: Taking the 5th Grade

Trailer

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A review by r96sk

5.0

Written on July 12, 2020

Thankfully better than 'Recess: All Growed Down', but 'Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade' is still a bit of a chore to watch.

This again features a couple of different stories, though to be fair their integration into the film is much improved if still a bit messy. The cast are as they've always been, solid but not exactly memorable. Animation-wise it's decent.

This is more on the level of 'Recess Christmas: Miracle On Third Street', yet still miles off 'Recess: School’s Out'. I simply don't understand why they didn't create three unique stories for these sequels, as they did for the original production. Compiled stories are, in my opinion, lazy.

Not a series of films that I'll be revisiting, but they are ones that have pretty respectable ratings across a few platforms so it seems I'm in the minority. Each to their own, as always!