The Basics Title: Because of Winn-Dixie Rating: PG
Overall rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Best for Ages 8+
Ages 3 - 7: Red
Ages 8 - 12: Green
Ages 13 - 17: Green
Violence Amount: Green
Violence Portrayal:
Green
Fear: Green
Illegal / Harmful: Green
Language: Green
Nudity: Green
Sex: Green
Review:
Based on the Newbery award-winning book of
the same title, this is a terrific movie for
families with children eight years old and
older. Ten-year-old Opal (Annasophia Robb)
and her preacher father (Jeff Daniels) have
moved to a small town in Florida, where the
church is in an old convenience store. Opal's
mother left them when Opal was 3 years old
and the father-daughter relationship has been
strained ever since. The town is so small
that the girl has trouble finding friends.
One day she is at the Winn-Dixie grocery store
when she sees a dog being chased by the store
employees. She says that the dog is hers and
its name is Winn-Dixie. She takes the dog
home and tries to convince her father to let
her keep him. Her father agrees but only if
they try to find the real owner of the dog.
Although Winn-Dixie is a lot of work and frequently
messes up the house, both father and daughter
come to love him. Opal and her dog begin making
a very assorted group of friends in town,
including Miss Franny (Eve Marie Saint), the
town librarian, Gloria (Cicely Tyson), the
old woman that all the children think is a
witch and Otis (Dave Matthews) who watches
over the local pet store. Opal helps Otis
so she can buy Winn-Dixie a collar. Opal enjoys
listening to the stories of her new, older
friends. She brings people of different ages
and races together for a party so they can
get to know each other. She has gained the
confidence to ask her father about her mother
and why her mother left. She realizes that
she is not responsible for her mother leaving.
There is some brief mild language, talk about
alcoholism and the desertion of a parent.
There are also thematic elements that younger
children might not understand. Does Opal change
the lives of many people in the town? How?
What are ten things that you would tell someone
about yourself?
Linda
Thomas is a native Minnesotan. She
graduated from the University of
Minnesota with a double major in
sociology and psychology. Married
with a family, she has remained
in the Minneapolis area.
Linda has been a lover of movies
since she was a small child. This
love of film eventually brought
her to the point in life where
she is now, a film critic. She
was featured on WCCO radio for
three years on the “Dark
in the Morning” show with
Dark Star.
In December of 2001, Linda became
the film critic for the syndicated
“Ruth Koscielak Show”.
Linda sees over 150 movies a
year and has had the opportunity
to interview a number of directors
and actors when they are in town.
She has also appeared on a public
access show called the "Cinema
Judge" and has ventured into
writing for "Cinestar"
magazine in September 2002. The
Twin Cities movie magazine is
available, for free, at most local
Blockbuster's and local movie
cheaters.
As one of the few female reviewers
in the Twin Cities area, she brings
a unique point of view to her
reviews. Linda has raised two
children, a boy and a girl, and
knows what they like in movies
and what is appropriate. Hopefully,
her reviews will help your family
in choosing where to next spend
your movie-going dollar.
Linda
Thomas is a native Minnesotan. She
graduated from the University of
Minnesota with a double major in
sociology and psychology. Married
with a family, she has remained
in the Minneapolis area.