kayjaybee616

Well-written, well-cast, well-acted. So so happy this show exists.

Superbly acted, this movie will delight you! It's not afraid to make you cry, but it doesn't try to work you up. It's got a hint of wry humor without the cynicism, and it's got plenty of sweetness without trying too hard. I was surprised by how much I loved this movie, and you will be too. Rachel House as Paula Hall, the zealous child welfare case worker, steals the scene wherever she appears.

If you loved the animated original as a child, you will be utterly delighted by the live- action version, which, while adding depth to the central themes and complexity to the characters and story, still remains remarkably winsome and charming. The extra forty minutes are used deftly, adding richness and detail only when needed, and expanding only where the original film simply did not have time enough to do. The love story is deepened beautifully, compelling and believable enough to satisfy adult audiences without drifting from the sweetness and simplicity the original. Inevitably, there are moments where the movie falls short and you may judge for yourself where those moments occur -- but even where it disappoints, it only reminds us of the perfection of the iconic film that inspired it. It is, above all, a respectful, endlessly enjoyable celebration of the classic.