Charlotte’s Web
Length: Single
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Rated: G
Website: http://www.charlotteswebmovie.com/site/index.php
Release Date: 2006-12-15
Cast: Dakota Fanning, Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey, Dominic Scott Kay, John Cleese
Director: Gary Winick
Screenwriter: Susannah Grant, Karey Kirkpatrick, E. B. White
WorkNameSort: Charlotte’s Web
Our Rating: 4.00
All the digital tricks and celebrity voices utilized to make this live-action version of Charlotte’s Web are no doubt impressive. Robert Redford, Steve Buscemi, Oprah Winfrey and a gently haughty Julia Roberts, among many others, lend their skilled voices to the believable moving lips of the barnyard animals. The true genius of this movie, though, is the story that made a million kids vegetarians â?¦ at least for a day. Despite someone’s not-so-brilliant idea to add a fart joke or two (is this a requirement now?), the film remains largely faithful to E.B. White’s story of loyalty and friendship, even managing to improve on the 1972 animated version. Walden Media should be applauded for continuing on their mission to bring high-quality family-centric fare to audiences without infusing every scene with an ironic wink. The pleasant, slow pace of the film may present a challenge to overcaffeinated youngsters, but the pitch-perfect, people-in-the-background approach provides a sweet and magical two-hour respite from ‘hipâ?� kids’ movies. (G)
This article appears in Dec 13-19, 2006.