Harriet the Spy (1996)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:26
Fresh:10
Rotten:16
Average Rating:4.8/10
Runtime: 1 hr 42 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Synopsis: The film adaptation of Louise Fitzhugh's bestselling children's novel, about Harriet, an independent, intelligent girl whose aspiration to become a writer ultimately lands her in some very hot... [More]
Reviews for Harriet the Spy
| Tomatometer | Critic | Review | Category |
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 3/5 |
...smart, good-natured and fun. Full Review |
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 C |
A below mediocre adaptation of the popular novel that is nonetheless served well by the two female leads, but all representative of the adults world (parents, teachers, psychologists) are narrow, standard-issue constructions. Full Review |
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3/5 |
No review available.
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3/5 |
No review available.
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4/5 |
A better-than-expected kid's-book adaptation.
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1/4 |
The whimsical and meaningless first part dissolves into a mean spirited and disturbing concluding section. Full Review |
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3/4 |
Like the novel, Harriet the Spy is a rare children's story that celebrates the budding artistic spirit. Full Review |
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2.5/4 |
Click to read the article Full Review |
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Click to read the article Full Review |
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2/4 |
Click to read the article Full Review |
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A very draggy affair because Harriet’s exploits are treated like an episodic laundry list. Full Review |
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B- |
At least they didn't make the nanny's umbrella handle a talking parrot. Full Review |
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...in busily updating the '60s story for the more worldly '90s, the filmmakers have ended up, ironically, with a product much more naively juvenile than the original. Full Review |
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1/4 |
While the well-loved novel was apparently about the admirable battle a kid must wage in order to become an artist in the face of peer disapproval, the movie seems to be about a mean-spirited tyke who has no scruples. Full Review |
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2/5 |
...doesn't live up to its promise as a movie that could have had a lot of fun exploiting the ingenuity-themed construct. Full Review |
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2/5 |
Click to read the article Full Review |
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3/4 |
Harriet the Spy is an intelligent, insightful look at the tribulations of being a creative, misunderstood misfit at age eleven. Full Review |
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3/4 |
Fresh and charming, it never plays down to kids. Full Review |
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3/4 |
[The] movie really is supposed to be for kids after all, and since none of the material is too dark, it should do a decent job of keeping them entertained. Full Review |
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