This season has been a peculiar one for family movies – or at least for seemingly family-oriented movies. First, we had Where the Wild Things Are with a few things to say about childhood, but little to offer the children it attracted. Now Fantastic Mr. Fox arrives with more of the same.
Fantastic enticed a family of four to my matinee screening and they sat right behind me, of course. The two small kids were restless as bees, walking about and kicking my seat. During one scene with a farmer seated behind his desk, the girl said, “Mom. I’m tired of looking at this man’s face.” Clearly, they didn’t get what they expected.
No, Fantastic is not a movie for kids. It is an odd, quirky movie about a dysfunctional family of foxes struggling to deal with the father’s addiction to a life of crime and the teenage son’s coming of age. It must be getting difficult for parents to even know what movies their kids will like. Not even an animated movie with cute, funny, furry little animals is a sure thing lately.
Just as Where the Wild Things Are was written by a novelist with a knack for chronicling mature matters like a mother’s slowly dying from cancer, Fantastic was co-written by Noah Baumbach, best known for writing The Squid and the Whale, perhaps the best movie ever about a painful divorce with kids caught in the middle. It’s great stuff, but not necessarily kid stuff.
So, is Fantastic any good? Well, yes, absolutely. I found it a lovingly crafted little jewel box of a movie. It is one of few movies lately where I almost turned right around and bought another ticket. I would’ve happily sat through its rather breezy 87 minutes all over again, right away. I certainly will see it again, eventually.
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Article comments
1 - sayrock
This film is NOT for kids! It's a witty, wry, beautifully detailed and thoroughly enjoyable fantasy romp for adults. I saw it the first time at a matinee with an audience of families with kids. Then I went back the next evening and watched it with a crowd of grownup who got the humor -- favorite line when Mr. Fox's plan goes awry, "This is going to be a total cluster cuss for everybody!" It was even more enjoyable the second time because I wasn't the only one laughing!
2 - Cynder
My kids - and me - were bored silly by "The Pretentious Mr. -", oh, I'm sorry - "The Fantastic Mr. Fox". Its animation was a step below "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer" and the film overall wasn't nearly as witty or charming. But then most of the animated films this year have been lackluster, especially the ones most lauded by critics. Really, the only truly outstanding animated film this year, according to my family's opinion, was the underrated by utterly enjoyable "Astro Boy". My kids loved it and I did too. If I had my way, that film would win an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, because no other animated film - including "Up" - had as much heart, adventure, laughter and pathos as that film. It reminded me of "The Iron Giant".
3 - Jordan Richardson
Based on what Cynder has said about this movie, I now REALLY want to see it.
4 - El Bicho
Well certainly no other movie had a character with weapons in their butt.