Review: VeggieTales' "It's a Meaningful Life"

Our family has always been fans of VeggieTales. Since my oldest was a toddler, we've been laughing and learning along with Bob the Tomato, Larry the Cucumber, and all of their vegetable friends. My kids love the music and the silliness, and my husband and I like that they're learning valuable lessons about life from a biblical perspective. So when my mom first saw the ads for VeggieTales' latest Christmas movie, "It's a Meaningful Life," she preordered it right away to share with my kids during the Christmas season. Blatantly, but sweetly, based on the classic "It's a Wonderful Life," this feature teaches kids that their lives have purpose and meaning, and each step is directed by God, who has a plan for all of us.

The story follows Stewart (played by Larry the cucumber), a great football player who misses the ball and is badly injured in the biggest game of his life. While he goes on to have a family and manage the local toy train factory, he's always haunted by the question, "what if [he] had caught the ball that day?" After making a mess of the train factory on Christmas Eve, Stewart, feeling particularly low, is met by an elderly train conductor, and in a nod to "The Polar Express," takes him on a train ride to show him the answers to his question. Stewart of course finds that his life would have been empty had he caught the ball-no wife, no children, and no difference in the lives of so many townspeople-and he realizes that he missed the ball that day for a reason.

This movie is a well-adapted version of "It's a Wonderful Life," using its core idea as a springboard to teach children that even though life can be disappointing and things can happen that we don't like, it all happens for a reason. The show opens with Bob and Larry in the kitchen, and the whole concept is introduced when QWERTY shows a video chat with a girl who didn't make the cheerleading team when her friends did. After the movie, she learns the lesson that God knows she didn't make the team, but has important plans for her anyway, and we're left with the verse Jeremiah 29:11. While adults will find the plot predictable, kids will be taken with the story (since no child I know has sat through "It's a Wonderful Life") and learn a valuable lesson in true VeggieTales fashion.

Overall, Veggie Tales' "It's a Meaningful Life" is worth the purchase. From tie-ins to classic Christmas movies to a wonderful title song by Steve Curtis Chapman, "Meant To Be," I found myself entertained along with my kids and moved by the simplicity and truthfulness of the message. There's enough humor within this serious subject to keep children engaged and the 48-minute feature moving along, including a mid-section break for "Bedtime Songs With Junior," which ends up being a lot funnier than it seems in the beginning. And for those who want more, the DVD has several bonus features, such as the "Meant to Be" music video and "Behind the Song" feature with Chapman, a visit to a railroad museum, "Goodnight Junior" singalong, audio commentary, and a family guide for more focused family learning on the subject.

While the themes of this feature are certainly Christmas-inspired, the message is one that's appropriate for all seasons, and I envision my kids wanting to watch this movie all year long. For fans of VeggieTales or those looking for a movie with a positive message, "Meaningful Life" is worth the watch.