I think if I had watched this 25 years ago or earlier, I totally would have loved this for what it is. And tonight, when I was looking for lighter fare, it fit the bill perfectly. The story had its ups and downs to it. There's a wide range of abilities, strengths, and challenges across the whole range of characters. Overall, a very pleasant movie and very enjoyable. I do recommend it.
If you hear a hint of hesitation in that, there is. And it's not due to the fact this American Girl was shot in Canada. I find that an interesting quirk, but nothing to get worked up about. And my hesitation shouldn't hamper any qualms about watching the movie--it was totally refreshing to watch a lighter movie without the ham-y or overdone acting that seems to pervade so many other children-centered movies and TV shows. It was sooo nice to see natural acting. Instead, it's something else that's needling me.
You know how you can watch some odd movie--pick any current day genre--and the cast seems to be predominantly male with a token female character or two? Those movies are annoying because it seems to me, for lack of a better word, "obvious" and insincere. In this movie, as much as I enjoyed seeing all the lead characters as female (and I did--honest), this movie world is in some ways (not all ways) idealized and almost does the exact same thing. Nearly all female cast, with a couple of token male characters. Even the classroom shots and crowd shots seem to be predominantly female except for a scattered male extra here and there. Although, I did appreciate seeing a dual parent family--father and mother--instead of just one or the other. That helped a lot.
Perhaps some might make the accusation: "You're just so used to seeing male-centered movies, you don't know what a female-centered one looks like." Perhaps. But God didn't make a world made of a single gender. He made two genders, each to serve the other in ways of His designing, ways modeled after the relationship between Christ the groom and the bride his church. Both. Together.
What that means to me from a critical, analytical stand point, is that I'm just as leery about this movie as I would with one with a token female character. Both miss the mark. However, this viewpoint is from someone who has been presented with feminist views. That changes a person's information bank. So, now looking at this movie...well...the only thing I can liken this reading inside is how I found Cathy cartoons funny before I knew what feminism was and I laugh less now that I've had more of the world presented for my consideration. And this is regarding a cartoonist who is trying to present the humor of a situation, not an academic diatribe. And I liked Cathy.
Maybe that's a topic best left for another time.
And I supposed I may have offended some for such remarks made for a very well done movie. I just think there's an in-between mark that a story can reside in that we have yet to hit.
Despite my hesitation, I did thoroughly enjoy this movie. And this movie has made up some ground to get closer to that target mark. As for me, this was pretty much what the evening called for.
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