Arco Parent Guide

Tired of being left out of his family’s time-travelling adventures due to his age, Arco takes matters into his own hands and sets off to the past using his sister’s time-travelling suit. However, time-travelling by rainbow turns out to be harder than it looks, and he lands further in the past than he had hoped, in the year 2075.

After crashlanding in the woods, Arco is befriended by a young, lonely girl, Iris (Romey Fay). Since her parents are constantly gone for work, Iris is left to care for her baby brother alongside a robot caretaker named Mickey. With human connection scarce and climate change destroying the earth, 2075 appears bleaker than Arco expected. Iris and Arco develop a fast and meaningful friendship as they try to find a way for him to get back to the future. Contending with three strange (and hilarious) men who are determined to expose Arco, they must race against time and work together to figure out how to send him home. The impacts of climate change complicate the plot, making it more difficult for Arco to get back to his family.

Arco is an incredible example of how to explore difficult and complex topics with young audiences, without being patronizing. I was genuinely amazed by how the film reflects on the current state of our world: the environmental crisis, the hopelessness many young people feel, and the potential consequences of our growing dependence on technology. Yet, all of this is grounded in a deeply moving message about hope, love, family, and friendship. The film masterfully balances the consequences of serious choices (like, say, stealing your sister’s rainbow-powered time-travel suit) with the reminder that love and forgiveness are still possible, even when we mess up. At its heart, the story boils down to one powerful message: Things will get better. And the way it delivers this theme is anything but clichéd. It left me feeling empowered and inspired, not passive or comforted into inaction. This story emphasizes the power young people have to make a difference and assures them that imagination is a powerful tool for good. The film highlights that good can always be found, even in the toughest of circumstances. The theatre was full of adults, and it was one of those rare films where everyone clapped at the end, if that tells you anything. I also may or may not have cried multiple times… and yes, my notebook now has tear stains to prove it.

While the film does include brief moments of violence (mainly between humans and robots) and a scene involving an injury with some blood, it remains very family-friendly, especially for older children. The most upsetting moment is when a robot gets hurt, which might be distressing for some viewers (and yes, I was definitely that viewer).

Overall, this movie is absolutely worth watching, even if you don’t bring little ones along. The animation is stunning and unique, the cast is fantastic, the screenplay is both heartfelt and hilarious, and the story strikes that rare balance of feeling classic yet entirely unique.

About author

Alisha Bagshaw

Alisha Bagshaw is completing her BCST in Child and Youth Care Counselling and is working toward a career in psychology and policy advocacy. She enjoys reading, watching movies, and subjecting her husband and friends to in-depth (and usually unsolicited) synopses and thematic analysis.