GC Movie Review - Kit Kittredge: An American Girl

By Rhonda Ridley

Personalized dolls, books, mega stores, a magazine, and made for TV films. All of this and I had never heard of the “American Girl” franchise. OMG, Where have I been? I guess, too busy being a grown up.

Now that a feature film is being released and I’ve increased my knowledge of Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, I now know about the phenomenon; the fanatical girls, the long lines - as if their waiting to see their favorite celebrity and the ability to create identical clothes in order to match their dolls. I have 8 and 4 year old nieces. Again, where have I been?

As I sat at the press screening of Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, I was unsure of what to expect. Not yet a parent, I usually find myself almost apprehensive when it comes to, “the more youthful movies”. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the spirit, energy, messages and passion of this movie.

Set in the 1934 Depression era, this film touches upon every sensory nerve in the body. Namely, because the Depression was real for families back then. Folks were losing their jobs, lining up at soup kitchens and when it got really rough families had to sell eggs - a sign that poverty had visited your home. Not my era, but I can just imagine the fear and angst of not knowing what the next second, minute or hour would bring. Fathers not feeling like the true providers of their families, mothers not having food to prepare for their families and children standing by watching their entire lives crumble as their families sometimes had to separate in order to make ends meet.

Yet, in the midst of this tragedy, we meet Kit Kittredge and instantly fell in love with her. Played by Abigail Breslin (sporting short blond hair), Margaret Madeline “Kit” Kittredge is a resourceful, rambunctious, and relentless nine year old whose family lives a comfortable life in Cincinnati, OH. One day as this aspiring journalist with a mind full of vision & dreams and a heart of compassion goes to help out at the local soup kitchen with her friends Ruthie (Madison Davenport) and Stirling (Zach Mills), to her surprise, she sees her father, played by Chris O’Donnell, in the line. Ashamed and embarrassed, Kit runs out.

After learning the truth that her dad has lost his used car business and he would have to leave for Chicago the make some money, Kit sets her mind on helping her mom to keep the family together. While her dad is gone, Kit’s mom (Julie Ormond) decides to take in a mish-mosh of boarders, a magician Mr. played by (Stanley Tucci), a vivacious dancer (Jane Krakowski) a wacky mobile libraian (Joan Cusack) and allows, Will and Countee, two local hobos (Max Thieriot and Willow Smith) to work around the house for food.

All the while, Kit is tightening up her journalistic skills by corresponding with her dad while he is away and updating him on all the crazy shenanigans that are taking place around the house. She even visits the hobo village with Will and Countee to better understand how they live. Obviously, there is no comparison, and Kit realizes that she doesn’t have it half this bad. Soon after, she writes an article about the hobos in order for people to understand who they are and how they struggled to survive.

After several attempts to have the editor of the Cincinnati Register newspaper, Mr. Gibson, (Wallace Shawn) to run her story, and after he realizes that there is something remarkable about this annoyingly aggressive little girl, he reads her story and decides to run it. Kit is officially a reporter!

With all of the mischief Kit gets herself into, you never forget her true heart is for people. She simply desires to “change “ things - with words, to humanize the homeless, to rescue her family from poverty, to write the truth and to build a foundation for her future. She is very compassionate and clear about her desire to make things better. She loves people, they are the essence of her existence.

Kit has an uncanny way of drawing others into her adventure. She does it so well, you don’t even mind the intrusion.

Kit Kittredge: An American Girl is full of fun, mystery, fear and compassion. If there is a little girl in your life; daughter, grand-daughter, niece or neighbor, this I a great film to expose her to in order to help her better understand thinking of others first, always believing in herself, living her dreams and never giving up.