DVD Release Date: October 28, 2008
Theatrical Release Date: July 2, 2008
Rating: G
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Kids/Family, Adaptation
Run Time: 101 min
Director: Patricia Rozema
Actors: Abigail Breslin, Julia Ormond, Chris O’Donnell, Joan Cusack, Jane Krakowski, Stanley Tucci, Glenne Headly
In an age where a movie version of the Bratz! dolls or a contemporary update of
Nancy Drew are what pass for films targeted at young girls,
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl isn’t merely a breath of fresh air—it’s a daring gamble.
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It would come as little surprise if someone in the studio system suggested to update the “American Girl” icon to a modern-day setting (maybe even have Kit pursue
Hannah Montana-esque dreams; think of the soundtracks that could be sold!). But in a case where cooler heads actually prevailed, the first feature film inspired by the classic American Girl franchise takes place in an historical context, staying true to a classic brand that girls have embraced for decades.
Set in the 1930s Depression, Kit Kittredge (
Abigail Breslin) is a sweet-but-spunky 10-year-old girl of a well-to-do family who has dreams of being a reporter for Cincinnati’s flagship newspaper. She and her friends live in blissful ignorance of those who have fallen on harder times. The innocent exclusivity of their Treehouse Club, however, is a mirror to the more ominous prejudice of their parents who turn away hobos that encroach on the suburbs looking for work.
Kit’s mom (
Julia Ormond) is a rare exception. While her friends raise their noses at the poor, Mrs. Kittredge shows them grace through offerings of food; she also hires a teenage boy named Will (
Max Thieriot) and Countee (
Willow Smith), the young African-American child Will cares for, to do chores. Kit befriends them both, and her eyes are opened to the less fortunate.
But soon the Depression expands to the upper class, and the privileged suddenly join the vulnerable. Kit’s dad (
Chris O’Donnell) must look beyond Cincinnati for work after his business folds, and to help pay the bills Mrs. Kittredge opens their house to multiple boarders—a mix of friends who’ve lost everything, as well as a transient magician (
Stanley Tucci) and a mobile librarian (
Joan Cusack) with her truckful of books.
These dire straits also escalate fears as past prejudices toward hobos turn to unjust accusations of criminal intents. In this climate, a string of robberies occur—including at the Kittredge home—and evidence points to Will and Countee. Believing they were framed, Kit relentlessly pursues the newspaper editor to let her tell not only their story but also exonerate the entire hobo community.