Matilda
Movie • 1996 • Comedy
ReportSynopsis
An extraordinarily intelligent young girl from a cruel and uncaring family discovers she possesses telekinetic powers and is sent off to a school headed by a tyrannical principal.
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Both
Yes
No
Your Triggers
Yes
0
No
46
Needs More Answers
Yes
0
No
0
Abandonment
Yes
1
No
9
Is a child abandoned by a parent?
50 supporters
Yes
29
No
1
4
matilda is forgotten in the car by her parents the first day she is brought home from the hospital. she’s fine in the next scene!
2 comments | Add comment
Yes
10
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0
Abuse
Yes
64
No
1
12
Matilda is abused by her family, the students are all abused by Miss Trunchbull, as was Miss Honey in her childhood.
3 comments | Add comment
Yes
0
No
7
Yes
43
No
1
8
Matilda's parents are abusive and miss honey was abused as a child
1 comment | Add comment
Are there abusive parents?
71 supporters
Yes
21
No
0
3
The main set of parents in this film are a sort of secondary antagonist; they're very verbally abusive and show extreme preference for one child vs. the other.
To be specific, toward one child there is a lot of name-calling, threatening behavior (dragging her around at times, directly threatening her though that threat is not carried out, etc.) and complete suppression of her personality/interests/talents. like educational neglect/abuse in a way.
the other child despite being shown great preference is also deprived of educational needs and honestly isn't free of abuse either because the parents provide Terribly for both kids; he's "treated" fine to an extent but is encouraged into terribly unhealthy habits all around. they are terrible parents to both children just more Blatant about the abuse of one.
To be specific, toward one child there is a lot of name-calling, threatening behavior (dragging her around at times, directly threatening her though that threat is not carried out, etc.) and complete suppression of her personality/interests/talents. like educational neglect/abuse in a way.
the other child despite being shown great preference is also deprived of educational needs and honestly isn't free of abuse either because the parents provide Terribly for both kids; he's "treated" fine to an extent but is encouraged into terribly unhealthy habits all around. they are terrible parents to both children just more Blatant about the abuse of one.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
10
Is someone gaslighted?
44 supporters
Yes
44
No
0
2
Matilda is gaslit many times. The instance I found to be the most unsettling is when her parents insisted she was four instead of six. Moments later, we learn all the various ways that the parents benefit from pretending Matilda is too young to attend school.
(Also see the entry for "does the abused become the abuser")
(Also see the entry for "does the abused become the abuser")
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
1
No
8
Yes
3
No
11
3
Matilda’s brother is also treated poorly by his parents. He bullies Matilda in a few scenes (although not to an abusive level)
2 comments | Add comment
Is someone stalked?
31 supporters
Yes
14
No
20
6
Most people said no but the cops sit outside her fathers house and just watch constantly
1 comment | Add comment
Addiction
Yes
0
No
28
Yes
2
No
27
Yes
6
No
28
1
The biological parents consume alcohol.
1 comment | Add comment
Animal
Are animals abused?
315 supporters
Yes
63
No
1
12
Miss Trunchball kicks a cat
5 comments | Add comment
Does a cat die?
282 supporters
Yes
0
No
43
3
A cat is kicked in a context that makes the viewer worry for his safety. The cat is then shown to be fine upon landing.
2 comments | Add comment
Were animals harmed in the making?
228 supporters
Yes
1
No
12
4
During the scene where the salamander was thrown around, I found it very reassuring to see it obviously replaced by a toy "stunt double" during the more dangerous shots.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
35
Yes
0
No
26
Yes
0
No
39
Yes
0
No
6
Yes
0
No
9
Are there bugs?
53 supporters
Yes
30
No
17
2
(raises hand) Just thought you might like to know that a newt isn't a bug ;)
2 comments | Add comment
Are there snakes?
28 supporters
Yes
17
No
25
6
muss trunchbull is afraid of a newt and she thinks it's a snake. she kept saying "its a snake! its a snake!"
2 comments | Add comment
Yes
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No
11
Yes
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No
37
Yes
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No
8
Yes
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No
21
Yes
7
No
30
Yes
0
No
33
Assault
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No
22
Yes
0
No
38
Yes
0
No
10
Yes
0
No
11
Is someone drugged?
44 supporters
Yes
0
No
11
2
No, but there's a scare. There's a very very tense scene where a child is punished by being asked to eat a suspiciously normal looking slice of cake. While he's eating it, several onlookers express concern that it might be poisoned. (It's not, though!)
1 comment | Add comment
Is someone restrained?
41 supporters
Yes
11
No
11
3
Miss Trunchbull puts children in “the chokey” multiple times in the movie, an dark windowless iron cage that looks like an iron maiden
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
9
Does a woman get slapped?
National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233)
37 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
8
Yes
13
No
2
Yes
0
No
10
Yes
0
No
5
Bodily Harm
Is there excessive gore?
143 supporters
Yes
0
No
23
3
No gore
1 comment | Add comment
Is someone tortured?
130 supporters
Yes
36
No
10
8
Children are locked in a small box that's too narrow for them to sit down in and has broken glass and nails sticking out of the sides of it. Two characters are shown being put in it and one is shown being rescued from it, but the moments are brief.
2 comments | Add comment
Yes
0
No
21
Yes
0
No
9
Yes
1
No
29
Yes
0
No
30
Are any teeth damaged?
80 supporters
Yes
0
No
36
2
No, but at least one villain is shown to have bad/gross teeth.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
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No
30
Yes
0
No
29
Yes
0
No
8
Yes
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8
Yes
0
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24
Yes
0
No
17
Is there shaving/cutting?
57 supporters
Yes
42
No
1
5
A hat is glued to someone's head and has to be cut off.
2 comments | Add comment
Yes
0
No
25
Yes
0
No
25
Yes
0
No
14
Does someone struggle to breathe?
46 supporters
Yes
29
No
2
4
Principal locks children in a room called the chokey, where it appears to be hard to breathe somewhat
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
16
Does someone break a bone?
43 supporters
Yes
2
No
28
6
The Trunchbull references breaking Miss Honey’s arm when she was nine but it’s never shown or mentioned again
1 comment | Add comment
Is someone choked?
34 supporters
Yes
3
No
7
2
No, but a girl pantomimes choking herself to communicate that her friend has been locked up in a scary cabinet called "the chokey."
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
5
Yes
0
No
6
Yes
0
No
7
Yes
0
No
28
Does someone fall down stairs?
23 supporters
Yes
16
No
2
2
Someone trips down cluttered stairs while running away from villain
1 comment | Add comment
Does someone fall to their death?
21 supporters
Yes
1
No
27
2
Characters discuss a previous situation where a child was thrown out a window. "Was he okay?" "He got thrown out a window, of course he wasn't okay!" Later, children and animals are thrown places, including out of windows, but Matilda makes sure none of them are hurt.
2 comments | Add comment
Does someone become unconscious?
12 supporters
Yes
14
No
1
2
Comedic fainting.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
28
Children
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No
16
Yes
0
No
31
Is an infant abducted?
40 supporters
Yes
0
No
16
2
No. A child is unfortunately adopted by a caretaker who does not have her best interest in mind. The narrative implies this caretaker killed the child’s father.
1 comment | Add comment
Creepy Crawly
Yes
0
No
9
Death
Yes
0
No
11
Yes
0
No
11
Does someone die?
27 supporters
Yes
11
No
5
2
Offscreen and before the events of the movie.
2 comments | Add comment
Does someone sacrifice themselves?
19 supporters
Yes
1
No
12
2
Technically yes, but it goes well. A character offers to sacrifice themself ("I'll distract the bad guy while you escape") but both characters escape the situation unharmed.
1 comment | Add comment
Disability
Yes
0
No
20
Yes
0
No
8
Drugs/Alcohol
Yes
0
No
17
Family
Does a parent die?
42 supporters
Yes
42
No
5
8
One character has a dead father, but he died before the events of the movie and no sort of flashback is shown on screen.
3 comments | Add comment
Does a family member die?
33 supporters
Yes
12
No
2
2
Miss Honey’s mother and father die, the circumstances of which are explained through a flashback
1 comment | Add comment
Does someone cheat?
30 supporters
Yes
0
No
31
2
There's a situation played for comedy that looks like cheating but likely isn't. Matilda's mother is chilling on the couch with the undercover cops, and Matilda's father gets jealous and yells about it a lot. But the mother just naively wanted some friends to talk to, and the undercover cops just wanted intel.
1 comment | Add comment
Is someone kidnapped?
19 supporters
Yes
1
No
24
3
No, however, a child is adopted by a caretaker who clearly has no intent to take care of her. The narrative implies that this caretaker killed the child’s father to take his home (and money)
1 comment | Add comment
Is a child's toy destroyed?
1 supporters
Yes
48
No
0
12
Matilda's dad tears her books up when she won't watch tv with the family
3 comments | Add comment
Fear
Are there jump scares?
98 supporters
Yes
2
No
29
3
Matilda jumps out to scare Miss Honey but it’s not played as a jumpscare for the audience
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
7
Yes
0
No
8
Yes
0
No
27
Yes
0
No
28
Yes
0
No
8
Yes
1
No
6
Are there ghosts?
1 supporters
Yes
2
No
30
4
Matilda uses her powers to make Miss Trunchbull think she’s being haunted, but there are no actual ghosts.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
27
Gross
Does someone vomit?
176 supporters
Yes
8
No
56
21
No one vomits, but a kid is forced to eat an entire cake and almost vomits. Another kid comments that "he's going to vomit."
8 comments | Add comment
Yes
0
No
23
Yes
0
No
9
Yes
0
No
19
Yes
0
No
9
Does someone spit?
1 supporters
Yes
44
No
4
7
Ms trunchbull spits
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
9
Large-scale Violence
Are there 9/11 depictions?
7 supporters
Yes
0
No
22
1
Film was released in the 1990s
1 comment | Add comment
Law Enforcement
Is there copaganda?
53 supporters
Yes
1
No
24
3
No. On the contrary, cops bully the innocent daughter of a criminal, threatening to send her to an orphanage.
2 comments | Add comment
Is there incarceration?
8 supporters
Yes
5
No
3
2
Yes, several children are sent to a detention that's more like a medieval dungeon. Also, actual incarceration is threatened (by the undercover cops) but does not end up happening.
1 comment | Add comment
LGBTQ+
Yes
0
No
9
Yes
0
No
9
Yes
0
No
11
Yes
0
No
7
Yes
0
No
8
Loss
Is a priceless artifact destroyed?
7 supporters
Yes
1
No
7
2
There's a few times where priceless artifacts are in danger, especially a large portrait, but they all survive.
1 comment | Add comment
Medical
Yes
0
No
30
Yes
0
No
29
Yes
0
No
27
Yes
0
No
29
Is there a hospital scene?
22 supporters
Yes
13
No
19
5
The beginning of the movie takes place in the nursery of a hospital
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
7
Mental Health
Yes
12
No
26
10
Miss Honey's father is ruled to have died by suicide, but it's speculated that this wasn't the case.
1 comment | Add comment
Does someone attempt suicide?
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)
125 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
12
Yes
0
No
28
Is there autism specific abuse?
66 supporters
Yes
2
No
22
3
No character is labeled by the movie as autistic, but characters are abused for having specific traits of autism.
1 comment | Add comment
Does someone have an eating disorder?
51 supporters
Yes
2
No
31
9
No, but a child is forced to eat an entire cake and is visibly sick.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
5
Is there misophonia?
50 supporters
Yes
10
No
9
2
This movie has eating noises that are more numerous and obnoxious than any other movie I can remember.
2 comments | Add comment
Yes
0
No
13
Does someone say "I'll kill myself"?
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)
43 supporters
Yes
0
No
18
2
No, but direct discussions of a characters death by suicide between an adult and a child.
Small spoiler:
Characters later suggest that it was falsely framed as a suicide.
Small spoiler:
Characters later suggest that it was falsely framed as a suicide.
1 comment | Add comment
Does someone suffer from PTSD?
39 supporters
Yes
15
No
4
2
Miss Honey clearly suffers from cPTSD, and there's a really heartwarming scene where she's triggered by the thought of taking a piece of chocolate, and Matilda encourages her.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
5
Is there a claustrophobic scene?
34 supporters
Yes
47
No
0
6
miss trunchbull locks kids in the "chokey" to punish them, the chokey is a very small room with nails and glass in the walls
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
25
Yes
0
No
8
Yes
1
No
24
Yes
0
No
4
Is there ABA therapy?
23 supporters
Yes
0
No
6
2
No, but there are several scenes where Matilda's teacher has to hide her normal reasonable teaching style while the principal takes over the class with a philosophy that may remind viewers of ABA. (Squashing kids' natural expressions of humanity and forcing them to act more regimented and convenient)
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
7
Yes
0
No
5
Yes
0
No
4
Natural Disasters
Yes
0
No
3
Noxious
Are there flashing lights or images?
63 supporters
Yes
31
No
2
6
Lights flicker and blinds open and close rapidly
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
1
No
5
Yes
0
No
15
Yes
7
No
1
Yes
0
No
6
Is there obscene language/gestures?
14 supporters
Yes
1
No
14
2
There is a slight bit of language, although it is mild—for example, Ms. Trunchbull calling Matilda a "pissworm."
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
1
No
22
Paranoia
Is someone watched without knowing?
23 supporters
Yes
12
No
2
2
Lots of scenes with cops watching Matilda's family and Matilda watching her abusive principal.
1 comment | Add comment
Is the fourth wall broken?
15 supporters
Yes
3
No
12
4
A narrator is present who speaks to the audience directly but it’s not malicious in any sense
2 comments | Add comment
Pregnancy
Yes
0
No
17
Yes
0
No
23
Is there childbirth?
37 supporters
Yes
1
No
24
1
Matilda’s birth is very briefly mentioned in the beginning and is described as painful, but there’s no childbirth on screen.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
26
Yes
0
No
27
Are there babies or unborn children?
21 supporters
Yes
18
No
2
5
At the very beginning Matilda is shown as a baby in the hospital nursery
1 comment | Add comment
Prejudice
Yes
0
No
21
Are there fat jokes?
65 supporters
Yes
38
No
3
1
There’s the cake scene, and this isn’t really a fat joke but as kids are laughing Mrs. trenchbull says something along the lines of, “why are you laughing? I love jokes just as much as the next fat person”
3 comments | Add comment
Yes
2
No
16
Is there ableist language or behavior?
53 supporters
Yes
4
No
17
2
The whole film is very subtlety fatphobic (stereotypes and villains, and any character that is supposed to be laughed at)
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
27
Yes
4
No
20
Yes
0
No
19
Yes
0
No
19
Yes
0
No
9
Yes
0
No
6
Yes
0
No
24
Yes
20
No
20
6
A child calls ms.trunchbull sir
2 comments | Add comment
Race
Yes
0
No
6
Relationships
Yes
0
No
13
Religious
Yes
0
No
6
Yes
0
No
6
Sex
Yes
0
No
11
Yes
0
No
27
Yes
0
No
14
Yes
0
No
17
Are there incestuous relationships?
National Sexual Assault Hotline 800.656.4673
1 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
29
Yes
0
No
6
Yes
0
No
6
Sexism
Yes
0
No
15
Sickness
Yes
0
No
14
Yes
0
No
14
Yes
0
No
12
Yes
0
No
5
Social
Yes
0
No
6
Yes
0
No
5
Yes
0
No
11
Yes
0
No
7
Spoiler
Yes
0
No
6
Yes
0
No
24
Does it have a sad ending?
1 supporters
Yes
1
No
31
9
Happy ending!
2 comments | Add comment
Vehicular
Yes
0
No
23
Yes
0
No
23
Yes
0
No
26
Does a car honk or tires screech?
16 supporters
Yes
14
No
0
2
Lots of unsafe driving. The movie starts with a head-on POV of a car as it's parking. Lot's of engine revving and sputtering. Lots of tire screeching.
1 comment | Add comment
Violence
Yes
0
No
23
Yes
0
No
23
Yes
0
No
23
Yes
0
No
22
Where to Watch
