Arlo was the runt in a dinosaur litter and is constantly teased by his stronger siblings. His greatest character flaw is that he is frightened by everything.
The family worries about running out of food in the winter. So when they discover that a feral human child has been eating their corn, Arlo is given the assignment of killing him. When he can’t do that, his father takes him on an outing to firm up his resolve to be a hunter. But then during a storm, his father drowns in a flooding river. Alone with no idea how to get home, Arlo meets up with the human child, Spot, and they become friends.
Peter Sohn directs this animated feature written by Meg LeFauve. It shows us that the way to deal with fear is to go through it. As Arlo and Spot try to get home, the dinosaur must face his fears again and again. He also discovers new allies along the way, including the father of a T-Rex family who honors Arlo’s courage. It is a magic moment for this good dinosaur (Disney/Pixar, PG — peril, action, thematic elements).
