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CarGo

CarGo

201796 minTV-GMidcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
Director
James Cullen Bressack
Starring
Edward Asner, James Cullen Bressack, Jessica DiCicco, Ellen Gerstell

A young car learns the importance of family when he embarks on a mission to rescue his father who's been sent to Clunker Island to be re-purposed as junk metal.

Where to watch

Where can I watch CarGo?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists CarGo streaming on Dove Channel via Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about CarGo?

CarGo earns 4 badges, led by Divisive and Split on the story.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is CarGo worth watching?

CarGo's Midcredits score is the 11th percentile of all films, from 1.6K ratings across 4 sources. 31% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

11th percentile

Better received than 11% of films

4th percentile among Animation12th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)2nd
Approval (how many liked it)24th

35 /100

2nd percentile of all films

1st percentile among Animation3rd percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Ratings scatter across the whole scale — one of the most divisive reactions in the catalog.

Approval

How many liked it

31% liked it

24th percentile of all films

12th percentile among Animation24th percentile among 2010s
31% rated it 7–1069% rated it 1–6

69th percentile

1.6K ratings across platforms

45th percentile among Animation72nd percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 45% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$750K
Worldwide gross$44K

Returned 0.1× its budget — 7th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Fans praised

  • compelling story and actual plotline
  • good voice acting from cast (Osment, Asner, Hart)
  • themes of peer pressure and family relationships

Detractors panned

  • horrible low-budget CGI animation with glitches and poor textures
  • shameless ripoff of Pixar's Cars with derivative story
  • awkward dialogue full of bad car puns and forced pop culture references

What stands out

ActingDivisive48

decent voice performances wasted on weak material

CharactersDivisive30

unlikable or sympathetic? divided

Plot and storyDivisive25

derivative but some find compelling

DialogueDivisive18

awkward car puns and innuendos

HumorDivisive15

forced jokes and cheesy references

Effects and spectacle12

lame racing scenes with poor animation

Cinematography10

ugly low-res textures and static driving

Originality5

blatant Cars ripoff

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is CarGo like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something that leaves you smiling.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
MelancholicHopefulAbsurd
Heaviest: late
Absurdist humor: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsSentimental · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its rescue mission and family themes with straightforward sincerity, aiming for sentiment and adventure without irony.
The rideThe emotional stakes of rescuing a father from being junked give a mildly melancholic undertone, but the clumsy execution keeps intensity low; the heaviest moments likely come near the climax.
StructureThe story follows a conventional linear rescue mission with a clear beginning, middle, and end.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe story of a young car rescuing his father aims to leave the audience with a hopeful sense that family bonds overcome adversity.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestRescue
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% (this title) · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Rescue: Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).

10% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA young car's father is taken to a junkyard island, and he sets out to rescue him, driving the story as a classic rescue quest.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsSurvival
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on a young car's drive to save his father, emphasizing the importance of family ties against a backdrop of physical threat.
StanceThe film affirms the importance of family, centering on Danny's rescue mission and suggesting a celebratory attitude toward family bonds despite the dark premise of forced junking.

The world

TimelessUrbanWildernessFantasy
PopOrchestral classicalForeground music · original score
SettingA city of anthropomorphic cars, with a junkyard island called Clunker Island
MusicReviews mention songs with clumsy lyrics that feel like rip-offs from other films.

Content guide

Is CarGo okay for kids?

TV-G

CarGo is rated TV-G. As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (47/100), sexual content at moderate (53/100), language at moderate (48/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (44/100) and frightening material at moderate (48/100). Overall it is heavier than 88% of TV-G films.

Ratings in 1 other country
  • Germany0
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 42% of all filmsHeavier than 88% of TV-G films
Violence & Gore
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a TV-G film
heavier than 89%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
heavy for a TV-G film
heavier than 94%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a TV-G film
heavier than 89%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavy for a TV-G film
heavier than 88%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a TV-G film
heavier than 88%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is sexual content, heavier than 94% of TV-G films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does CarGo have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in CarGo?

Cast

Edward Asner
as Art
James Cullen Bressack
as Don Carleone
Jessica DiCicco
as Rudy Carleone
Ellen Gerstell
as Mrs. Edsel
Melissa Joan Hart
as Cabigail
Maurice LaMarche
as Chief
Phil LaMarr
as Fred Copcar
Jason Mewes
as Vin
Haley Joel Osment
as Danny
Dylan Vox
as Monster Truck

Crew

More like this

What are movies like CarGo?

Movies like CarGo include Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012), Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe (2020) and Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008). Of the 12 closest matches, all are family adventures, and most are films set in a fictional world.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

4 of these 12 share its story type: musical. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with CarGo?

2.3K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: musical. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.