Hides a big heart beneath a small piglet.
Charlotte's Web (2006)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:12
Fresh:8
Rotten:4
Average Rating:6.1/10
Consensus: Kids will be entertained by the straightforward plot and cute animals, and adults will be charmed by how quiet and humble the production is, a fine translation of E.B. White’s genteel prose.
Theatrical Release:09-02-2007
Synopsis: Gary Winick (THIRTEEN GOING ON 30) had a lot to live up to in remaking a beloved children's movie, itself based on the classic novel by E. B. White, but this 2006 live-action version more than... Gary Winick (THIRTEEN GOING ON 30) had a lot to live up to in remaking a beloved children's movie, itself based on the classic novel by E. B. White, but this 2006 live-action version more than fulfills its promise. With droll '50s-inspired art direction, low-key and earnest performances, and the cutest ensemble cast of farm animals since BABE, Winick maintains the deeply moral (though not moralistic) themes of the original novel and also injects some mild humor and scenes of peril and adventure. Child actor Dakota Fanning gives an impressively mature performance as the loyal and spunky farm girl Fern who rescues the pig Wilbur--the runt of his litter--from her father's axe. But as Wilbur grows up and faces his likely fate of becoming Christmas dinner, another friend steps in to save the day--the spider Charlotte (voiced by Julia Roberts), who spins fancy, slogan-filled webs above Wilbur's pen to convince his guardians that he is indeed a special pig and worth saving. The resulting hubbub saves his hide and reveals the importance of friendship and loyalty. Additionally, in scene after poignant scene, Wilbur learns about the nature of miracles, the seasons of life and death, and the inherent worth of even the runtiest of us. [More]
Starring: Dakota Fanning, Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Buscemi
Starring: Dakota Fanning, Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Buscemi, Kathy Bates, John Cleese, Thomas Haden Church, Cedric the Entertainer, Robert Redford, Jane Sibbett, Jennifer Garner, Reba McEntire, André Benjamin, Gary Basaraba, Siobhan Fallon
Director: Gary Winick
Director: Gary Winick
Screenwriter: Susannah Grant, Karey Kirkpatrick
Story: Earl Hamner
Producer: Jordan Kerner
Composer: Danny Elfman
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Reviews for Charlotte's Web
This film does what all children's films should do: not just offer lots of entertaining things to look at, but teach children how to look at the world with curiosity, attentiveness and joy.
Adult audiences tend to find [Dakota Fanning] rather shrill — witnessing [her] at full shriek is like being attacked by a colony of bats. For this reason, Charlotte’s Web is probably one for youngsters only.
If they'd stopped yammering for just a few minutes, White's heartbreaking ending might have retained its poignancy. As it is, it's little more than a blessed relief.
Youngsters will warm to the barn’s talking animals and perhaps even shed a tear at the sight of a spider shuffling off the mortal coil. Arachnaphobes, though, are advised to approach with caution.
Cute and sweet, and if it lacks great wit or magic, at least it has the courage to remain faithful to the gentle sadness and ‘realism’ of the original material.
I think what's most valuable here is the gentle reminder that lives are short, friendship is priceless and words can make a difference. The movie Charlotte's Web isn't a classic, but the message is.
The ads promise magic, but apart from the requisite heart-tugging finale, what it delivers is uneventful.
Gary Winick's film may not be perfect, but it honors its source and captures the key elements that have made E. B. White's book a classic.
This highly polished picture is superficially faithful, even reverential to its source, but evinces neither imagination nor a personality of its own.
A beautifully rendered motion picture that's full of warmth, wit and wonder.
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