Movie Review – The Tale of Despereaux
Loaded Cast and Visual Beauty Salvage Flat Fairy Tale
Jul 18, 2009 Jennifer Thompson
With the voice talents of such stars as Matthew Broderick, Christopher Lloyd, Sigourney Weaver, Emma Watson and Dustin Hoffman heading a cast that includes some of the most recognizable names in moviedom, this beautifully animated fairy tale promises to be the ultimate story of heroism and honor. Unfortunately, the story doesn’t have enough substance to support such a promise.
The film is an adaptation of Kate DiCamillo’s Newberry Medal-winning book, in which a mouse named Despereaux (Broderick), who has disproportionately large ears for his body, and unlike other mice refuses to cower in the face of danger and would rather read books than eat them, falls in love with the human Princess Pea (Watson). With help from a stranded ship rat named Roscuro (Hoffman), Despereaux sets out to win the girl of his dreams.
Plot Points
Taken at face value, the main plot and its rather intricate subplots should make for an entertaining story. Despereaux aspires to be the brave and honorable hero, unafraid to face whatever challenge stands in the way of his lady’s happiness. Princess Pea only wants happiness to return to her father and his kingdom. Roscuro seeks redemption for his race after an unexpected tragedy. And the simple but dutiful Miggery Sow (Tracey Ullman) longs to be a princess.
All of these storylines interconnect, of course. Though the screenplay, adapted by screenwriters Will McRobb and Chris Viscardi (Alvin and the Chipmunks), and producer/writer Gary Ross (Seabiscuit, Pleasantville), reportedly differs radically from the book, the film version does manage to blend and dovetail these four subplots into something that nearly resembles a cohesive unit. However, the end result isn’t quite as unified and spectacular as one would hope.
Vision and Voice
Visually, the film is truly beautiful. From the panoramic landscapes of land and sea, awash in both setting and rising sunlight, to the rolling countryside which serves as the backdrop for Princess Pea’s kingdom; from the lush extravagance of the palace and the lively kitchen genie, a magical creature made of fruits and vegetables who dons pots and pans as armor, to the dark and dismal dungeon underworld to which the rats have been banished, the color is neither vibrant nor dull, but simply gorgeous.
In general, the characters are richly drawn and unique in appearance. Despereaux, with his overlarge ears and his makeshift hero wear, is simply an endearing and adorable character. Princess Pea is elegant and lovely. Boldo, the kitchen genie (Stanley Tucci), is a creative addition to the cast not found in the book.
And of course such stars as Broderick, Lloyd, Weaver (who narrates), Watson, Hoffman, Ullman and Tucci, as well as Kevin Kline (Andre the Chef), William H. Macy, Robbie Coltrane (Gregory the Jailer), Frank Langella and Charles Shaughnessy, comprise an incredible and well-varied ensemble of vocal talents.
Despereaux’s Downfall
Where this story fails to excel is in the telling. The original award-winning book narrates the tale in four parts, with the first three parts describing the background stories of three of the primary characters (Despereaux, Roscuro and Miggery Sow), and the fourth brings the three stories together, intertwining their individual connections to the princess.
The film version tries to do the same thing, but with decidedly different results. Rather than telling the stories individually, they are combined in a rather disjointed manner, jumping from one back to the other in an attempt to bring the connections to the forefront sooner rather than later. As a result, the excitement and emotion that should be present are missing, and the expected, predictable ending is too much so.
Overall, however, this is a fairly entertaining film, especially for younger audiences who might care more about cheering for the tiny mouse hero than following the intricate plot. Fortunately, the beauty of the animation and the star power of the cast more than make up for what ultimately falls just shy of being a great adaptation.
Starring Matthew Broderick, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Watson, Tracey Ullman (voices)
Universal Pictures, 2008
Directed by Sam Fell (Flushed Away) and Robert Stevenhagen (supervising animator for We’re Back: A Dinosaur’s Story, Space Jam and The Road to El Dorado)
Rated: G
Running time: 94 minutes
Available on DVD
The Tale of Despereaux
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