 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Borrowers
- Review Date: July 28, 2003
- PG
- Genre: Comedy
- 1998
Common Sense Media says
Charming adaptation with constant (but funny) perils.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the little people in this movie have a lot to fear from the "Beans," or humans, who are out to exterminate them. The tricks and traps can be painful to watch. There are also some gross-out moments (like when a Borrower falls into a pile of dog poop, or when a villain is drenched in liquid cheese). But the clever gadgets and great escapes will prove entertaining to tweens and even adults.
What's the story?
Based on Mary Norton's delightful book about the tiny people who live in houses and "borrow" foraged items (thus explaining why no one can ever find anything) THE BORROWERS follows the adventures of the Clock family, Pod, his wife Homily, and their children Arietty (played by the adorable newcomer Flora Newbigin), and Peagreen. They live in the home of the aptly named Lenders, until an unscrupulous lawyer named Ocious Potter (John Goodman) has them evicted so that he can tear down the house and build an apartment building. In 83 fast minutes the Clocks find a way to survive Potter and his exterminator, get separated and then reunited, meet up with long-lost friends, and, with the help of the Lenders' son, save the day for both families.
Is it any good?
The Borrowers is lots of fun and well worth watching. Mary Norton's beloved children's book is charmingly translated to the screen here. The art direction is sublime and the performances are utterly engaging. Children will want to watch the movie a second time just to identify all of the items used by the Borrowers for clothes, furnishings, and equipment.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about what makes this film so fun, and compare it to Mary Norton's book. There's a lot of imagination here, and families can use this film as a jumping point to create their own imaginary stories set in worlds where anything is possible.
Why are so many books made into movies? Are stories usually more or less enjoyable on the screen? What makes a good book-to-screen adaptation?
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AGE
The perfect movie
This is a great movie.I think you should watch it. It is about a family that is small and they go through a bunch of adventurer and they save there home wile they go through them to i think that if you like fun and adventure this is the perfect movie for you!
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Kid, 12 years old
February 20, 2011
AGE
Great for 7 and up
I loved it best movie. I watched this with my 7 year old sister and she was laughing so hard. It is funny, good message, and lots of action.
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AGE
different from the book, mostly good, but watch for lies.
The story is a little different from the book (of course!), but it had been a couple of years since we read the book. We all enjoyed it, and my budding engineer particularly enjoyed all the contraptions depicted.
My kids enjoyed the "making of" section on the DVD from Netflix.
There were a couple of times when non-villain characters lied: the Lender boy offers one lie after another to his parents to get them to stop the moving truck. They suspect him, but nothing comes of it.
It's not even a story element, but the movie ends with, Arietty telling her mom that she's just "going out in the garden" (or something) with her new friend, while hiding walnut shells for a fast car(ish) ride behind their backs.
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Kid, 12 years old
September 20, 2009
AGE
Ever imagined tiny people as tall as a needle?
A Great film you won't miss out on!
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AGE
Excellent Family Movie Night Choice for 8+
The kids will love the creative and imaginative ways that the Borrowers make common, everyday items work for their tiny family.
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AGE
A nice Film
A pretty good movie. Kids will like the performance of Peegreen, who is a very young Tom Felton (AKA Draco Malfoy)
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy, adventures, book characters |
| Studio: | USA Films |
| Director: | Peter Hewitt |
| Cast: | Jim Broadbent, John Goodman, Mark Williams |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 89 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | February 13, 1998 |
| DVD release date: | November 5, 2002 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | mild peril and some crude humor |
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