Film Review - Stuart Little

Stuart Little is not an easy movie to review. Not because it isn't a good movie, but because it's kind of abstract. OK here goes.

A couple adopts a mouse. I mean formal adoption. Everyone in the picture doesn't seem to think this is too weird. The couple already has a child, who becomes jealous. Stuart must work to find a bond with the boy.

Who doesn't find this "normal" is the cat. The cat doesn't like being the pet of the mouse. His cat friends have trouble with this too. So the cat arranges for Stuart Little to get whacked by a hit-cat.

So on the surface I've got to ask, why people can talk with the mouse, and the mouse can talk with the cat, but people can't speak with the cat. Why doesn't the mouse just translate?

This is really a story about adoption, and the alienation that can occur when a new child enters a home. There are times when Stuart believes no one loves him, and is very alone. Similarly, the boy feels the same way at times.

The hook is the computer generated mouse. Stuart gets to have many adventures based on his size. These distractions help the film maker get the audience to watch a film about adoption, one of America's least favorite subjects. In that sense, this is master film making.

You have to appreciate the efforts of the cast in this picture. When your star never appears on the set and you have to act a very emotional scene, you're very much into "pretend time". Geena Davis (the Mother), Hugh Laurie (the Father), and Jonathan Lipnicki (the Brother) had a tough assignment. It's easy to forget that they couldn't see Stuart in any of the scenes.

I haven't met anyone who hasn't liked this picture. It is aimed at kids, but all the adults I know didn't seem to feel they had been given a lobotomy afterwards. This is what really should be called a family picture.

No Suction!

Film Facts

Directed by Rob Minkoff

Released in 1999

MPAA Rating: PG

Reviewed by Mongo