Indie Review: KIT KITTREDGE

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Kit Kittredge: An American Girl



Starring- Abagail Breslin, Julia Ormand, Chris O'Donnell, Zach Mills, Max Thieriot, Willow Smith, Jane Krakowski, Wallace Shawn, Colin Mochrie, Glenne Headley, Joan Cusack, Stanley Tucci.


Directed by Patricia Rozema



Grade: A



"I will decline... and laugh."

Kit Kittredge: An American Girl is the type of film that is immediately pigeon-holed into the kind of territory lost on major critic review, and more importantly, the demographics that define what's popular in the United States. And that's a real shame, for Kit Kittredge is a surprisingly engaging and charming movie that harks back to an old-fashioned kind of story-telling and direction that gives kids a chance to take a breather from the glut of "family friendly" action comedies.

Most G-rated films are vapid, and do nothing to further teach their audience anything new. Producers and filmmakers mistake a G-rating for 'clean' and 'safe', forgetting that just because there isn't any dirty language or violent thematic elements, doesn't mean they can't touch on serious subjects and craft a fine film that while being defined a 'family film', can be seen by anyone. Writer Ann Peacock and director Patricia Rozema do just that.

Based on one of the once popular line of American Girl dolls (in days before Bratz, and mostly for upper-middle class little girls), Kit Kittredge stars Abigail Breslin as the titular character, an intelligent and guile ten year old who dreams of being a reporter. Her family is well-off in Depression era Cincinnati, Ohio, but soon the increasing financial troubles that are spreading around her neighborhood hit home. Kit's father (Chris O'Donnell) loses his job and goes in search of a new one in Chicago, and her mother (Julia Ormand) is forced to bring in boarders and sell eggs to make ends meet.

Here is where Kit gets the bulk of its story. Kit gets involved with a host of quirky but friendly roommates staying at the house, including Miss Dooley (Jane Krakowski), a flirty single dancer, Mrs. Howard and her son Stirling (Glenne Headley and Zach Mills), a stern mother who's husband also leaves the city to find work, Miss Bond (Joan Cusack), a wacky bookmobile driver, and Jefferson Berk (Stanley Tucci), a down-on-his-luck magician. She also befriends two child hobos (Max Thieriot and Willow Smith, daughter of Will), who get discriminated against. When a couple robberies take place and the hobo community is placed at blame, Kit goes on the case.

What makes Kit Kittredge so unique, whether it was rated G or PG or NC-17, is that it's a rare and well done look at a serious issue through a child's eye. It doesn't trivialize the ugly truth of the Great Depression, rather just offers bits and pieces of it through the embodiment of a ten year old child who never had to deal with poverty, let alone understand it at first.

The performances are first-rate for a children's film. Breslin commands her screen-time as Kit, and it's hard to decide if she's acting beyond her years or is just in fact so perfectly in tune with playing a little girl. O'Donnell does a great job as well, playing the downtrodden father who just wants what's best for his family, even in the face of his mistakes. While Cusack and Tucci bring the last act of the film into a bit of a tailspin with some goofy antics, their performances are fun and light. Even Who's Line Is It Anyways?'s Colin Mochrie gets some heartfelt screen time.

For a small, independently financed family movie, Kit Kittredge is a pretty amazing achievement. I noticed a distinct difference in the attitudes and parenting of people who brought children in to see this film and the ones that took them to see Meet Dave. They are the ones that can appreciate an old-fashioned quality film that doesn't give our youth reason to develop ADHD, but rather to be sensitive, thoughtful little people like Kit. In a generation of girls growing up on Bratz and Hannah Montana, she is a proper role model.