Vicky and Her Mystery
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Vicky and Her Mystery
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Vicky and Her Mystery (originally released as Mystere) is a French movie based on a true story about an 8-year-old girl who adopts a wolf cub as a pet. There's sadness from both the recent death of Victoria's mother and from the risk that the wolf will be taken away from Victoria. Sensitive animal lovers should know that violence includes a pet getting shot with blood briefly shown on the animal's side, a punch in the face, and killing a wolf is implied with off-screen sound effects. Language in the version with English subtitles includes "crap," "damn," "bastard," and "poop." The version dubbed in English only has "poop." Adults drink wine with meals, never to excess.
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What's the Story?
VICKY AND HER MYSTERY tells the story of 8-year-old Victoria (Shanna Keil) after she and her father Stephane (Vincent Elbaz) move to a remote farm in the French Alps while they're both mourning the recent death of Victoria's mother, Stephane's wife. Victoria has nightmares and doesn't speak to her father, and Stephane blames himself for not being able to cure his wife of her illness. One day a neighbor gives Victoria an orphaned wolf cub to take home, saying it's a gift from the forest and its name is Mystery. As she cares for Mystery, Victoria starts to heal. The nightmares stop, and not only does she talk to her father, but she also laughs, plays, and even goes to school. But trouble looms when neighboring farmers learn about Mystery. They're afraid of wolves and angry at the wild ones that prey on their sheep. Losing Mystery would break Victoria's heart all over again, but can she bring herself to do what's best for Mystery?
Is It Any Good?
This moving story based on real events about love, loss, and grief has lots of charm, but it's also touched with sadness throughout. Overall, the tone of Vicky and Her Mystery is quiet and gently paced, but the story moves along and holds the viewer's interest. The acting is very well done, especially Shanna Keil as Victoria, and the beautiful French Alps are almost another character in the story. Some of the locations, distances, and amounts of time that's passed are slightly confusing, but not enough to get in the way of connecting to the story.
Kids old enough to follow subtitles can probably handle the rare strong language translated from French, but the dubbed version in English uses milder words of little concern. Younger viewers may need help with the themes of grief, parental loss, and animals in danger. Keep a tissue handy for the bittersweet but satisfying ending.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Vicky and Her Mystery shows the relationship between people and wild animals. Should people get rid of all the wolves, or leave them alone? What about the farmers who need their sheep to make a living? Can you think of a solution that would help both the people and the wolves?
Is an animal like Mystery better off with its own kind in the wild, or would he have a better life with Victoria and her father? Why?
Stories about people who love animals, and the animals who love them back, are always popular. Why do we like them so much?
What character strengths do Victoria and her dad demonstrate?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: December 24, 2021
- Cast: Vincent Elbaz, Shanna Keil, Marie Gillain
- Director: Denis Imbert
- Studio: Gaumont (France)
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Great Girl Role Models, Wild Animals
- Character Strengths: Empathy, Perseverance
- Run time: 84 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 28, 2022
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