Harold and the Purple Crayon

25%

Tomatometer

59 Reviews

92%

Audience Score

500+ Verified Ratings

Inside of his book, adventurous Harold (Zachary Levi) can make anything come to life simply by drawing it. After he grows up and draws himself off the book's pages and into the physical world, Harold finds he has a lot to learn about real life--and that his trusty purple crayon may set off more hilarious hijinks than he thought possible. When the power of unlimited imagination falls into the wrong hands, it will take all of Harold and his friends' creativity to save both the real world and his own. Harold and the Purple Crayon is the first film adaptation of the beloved children's classic that has captivated young readers for decades. Read More Read Less

Now in Theaters

Now Playing

Buy Tickets

Harold and the Purple Crayon

What to Know

Critics Consensus

A high-concept treatment that misses out on the blissful simplicity of its source material, Harold and the Purple Crayon is a tribute to imagination that's content to only color inside the lines.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View All (59) Critics Reviews

Harold and the Purple Crayon | Rotten Tomatoes (1)

Jen Chaney

New York Magazine/Vulture

Harold and the Purple Crayon makes the classic Hollywood mistake of taking a story that was lovely because of its concision and simplicity and turns it into a movie that is overly long and complicated for no good reason.

Aug 5, 2024

Full Review

Harold and the Purple Crayon | Rotten Tomatoes (2)

Katie Walsh

Tribune News Service

There’s something deeply strange about [Levi's] performance here, grinning and mugging with childlike wonder in a way that can only be read as disingenuous.

Rated: 1/4

Aug 3, 2024

Full Review

Harold and the Purple Crayon | Rotten Tomatoes (3)

Leigh Monson

AV Club

'Harold And The Purple Crayon' doesn’t quite provoke the blues that one might expect from such a crass-sounding adaptation, but neither does it paint the town red with its modest ambitions. We’re left mixed, as purple as the crayon.

Rated: C

Aug 2, 2024

Full Review

Harold and the Purple Crayon | Rotten Tomatoes (4)

Jackie K. Cooper

jackiekcooper.com

Isn't funny or quirky enough to entertain kids (or adults).

Rated: 4/10

Aug 16, 2024

Full Review

Harold and the Purple Crayon | Rotten Tomatoes (5)

tt stern-enzi

WXIX-TV (Cincinnati, OH)

Unfortunately, it doesn't really do a great job of balancing that animated style that it starts off with... when it moves into the live action, there's no magic to it.

Rated: D

Aug 15, 2024

Full Review

Harold and the Purple Crayon | Rotten Tomatoes (6)

Stacey Yvonne

Wealth of Geeks

in Carlos Saldanha’s Harold and the Purple Crayon (2024) we learn what happens after “God” goes away. It’s pretty heavy stuff. Too bad it’s told in an insipid, mostly inconsistent tale that’s more full of child endangerment than real substantive plot.

Rated: 4.5/10

Aug 10, 2024

Full Review

Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (222) audience reviews

Mayra M Me encant, soy fan de las crayolas y ver esta pelcula me encant. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/21/24 Full Review Rae I felt the ending needed more, but I really loved and enjoyed this movie. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/20/24 Full Review Susan I took my two grandsons (ages 10 and 6) and I was worried the 20 year old would be bored. Not a chance!! The movie was extremely entertaining . I really liked it too. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/20/24 Full Review Louise S My grandkids and I loved this movie! Overall, "Harold and the Purple Crayon" is a delightful adaptation that honors the legacy of Crockett Johnson's work. Its a heartwarming film that invites viewers to embrace their imagination and remember that sometimes, a simple crayon can lead to the most extraordinary adventures. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/20/24 Full Review Sheena G It was a cute movie. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/19/24 Full Review Great for kids! Great for kids, suggesting to kids to take use their imagination. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 08/18/24 Full Review Read all reviews

Harold and the Purple Crayon

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

Carlos Saldanha Director Zachary Levi Harold Zooey Deschanel Terry Alfred Molina Narrator Lil Rel Howery Moose Benjamin Bottani Mel

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

More Like This

View All Movies in Theaters

Slumberland 40% 86% Slumberland TRAILER for Slumberland Arthur and the Invisibles 22% 56% Arthur and the Invisibles Return to Oz 58% 71% Return to Oz Little Monsters 44% 62% Little Monsters Warriors of Virtue 18% 47% Warriors of Virtue Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Related Movie News

View All Related Movie News

Videos

View All videos

Harold and the Purple Crayon: Trailer 2

2:32

Harold and the Purple Crayon: Trailer 1

2:02

View more videos

Photos

View All Harold and the Purple Crayon photos

Harold and the Purple Crayon

View more photos

Synopsis Inside of his book, adventurous Harold (Zachary Levi) can make anything come to life simply by drawing it. After he grows up and draws himself off the book's pages and into the physical world, Harold finds he has a lot to learn about real life--and that his trusty purple crayon may set off more hilarious hijinks than he thought possible. When the power of unlimited imagination falls into the wrong hands, it will take all of Harold and his friends' creativity to save both the real world and his own. Harold and the Purple Crayon is the first film adaptation of the beloved children's classic that has captivated young readers for decades.

Director: Carlos Saldanha
Producer: John Davis
Screenwriter: David Guion, Michael Handelman
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Columbia Pictures, Davis Entertainment
Rating: PG (Thematic Elements|Mild Action)
Genre: Kids & Family, Comedy, Adventure, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 2, 2024, Wide
Box Office (Gross USA): $15.8M
Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)