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FILM DETAILS | Certificate U |  | Cast Matthew Broderick Emma Watson Dustin Hoffman. |  | Directors Sam Fell Robert Stevenhagen. |  | | Screenwriters |  | Running Time 93 minutes |
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The Tale of Despereaux (U) Plot A heartwarming tale of a little mouse that could, Despereaux is a cross between Dumbo and The Princess Bride. Review A heartwarming tale of a little mouse that could, Despereaux is a cross between Dumbo and The Princess Bride. Matthew Broderick voices the titular mouse, a tiny, big-eared dreamer, with aplomb and a beautiful sense of measured dignity as he falls in love with a (human) Princess (Emma Watson), befriends a rat (Dustin Hoffman) and saves a kingdom. Along the way there is an evil rat king (Ciaran Hinds) to be faced, a soup genie (Stanley Tucci) to befriend and a timid serving girl (Tracey Ullman) to placate.
The astonishingly starry voice cast is testament to the story’s charm, and while it meanders on its way to the requisite happy ending, the lush, stylised animation and courtly flourishes would win over anyone. A word of warning: despite that U rating, some moments may scare very young viewers. Verdict While it meanders on its way to the requisite happy ending, the lush, stylised animation and courtly flourishes would win over anyone.
 Reviewer:
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Average user rating for The Tale of Despereaux

| Good But Didn't Have Much Of A Plot. |  | | The Tale Of Despereaux is a film my mum wanted to see so I rented it out and watched it last night. It does have some amazing grapics and stunning drawings of people but why did this very cute film have a rubbish plot? There was too much going on at the same time with too many characters and the middle part had so much talking in a kids film? That's wrong. I thought the ending was seriously rushed under a hour and twenty minutes compared in the box saying a hour and a half. Though there is a lot... Read More
|  | | joanna likes films About me | | 11:00, 12 April 2009 | Report This Post |  |
| |  | | TALE OF DESPERATE |  | | i seldom review childrens films but i thout i would this time to share my utter contempt for an independent animated film that totally rips of its pixar or dreamworks counterparts. ... Read More
|  | | WiseGuy101 About me | | 04:17, 05 February 2009 | Report This Post |  |
| |  | | RE: I get the feeling this is more accurate... |  | | Appalling. Just shockingly bad. The plot makes no sense (apparently soup effects the weather); there's a ridiculous character made out of fruit and veg, and a rat who changes his allegiances seemingly on a whim; and why is the majority of the film centred around a pig woman??? I'm just glad it was on my Unlimited card so I didn't have to pay for this tripe! ... Read More
|  | | captain jack harknes About me | | 21:33, 06 January 2009 | Report This Post |  |
| |  | | I get the feeling this is more accurate... | | ly review:
Tale Of Despereaux. Nothing like Ratatouille... honestbsp; A more cynical reviewer than myself might suggest that Universal Pictures' 'The Tale of Despereaux', the animated story of a plucky young mouse named Despereaux who must ensure the future of a local town by restoring the fine cuisine that it was once known for, might be relying to a certain extent on the success of last year's Pixar-produced success story 'Ratatouille', the animated story of a plucky young mouse ... Read More
|  | | bendoofus About me | | 11:11, 17 December 2008 | Report This Post |  |
| |  | | I get the feeling this is more accurate... | | ly review:
Tale Of Despereaux. Nothing like Ratatouille... honestnbsp; A more cynical reviewer than myself might suggest that Universal Pictures' 'The Tale of Despereaux', the animated story of a plucky young mouse named Despereaux who must ensure the future of a local town by restoring the fine cuisine that it was once known for, might be relying to a certain extent on the success of last year's Pixar-produced success story 'Ratatouille', the animated story of a plucky young mouse na... Read More
|  | | bendoofus About me | | 11:06, 17 December 2008 | Report This Post |  |
| |  | | Tale of Despereaux |  | | Is there an inherent hypocrisy in having the virtues of originality and standing out from the crowd extolled in a film that borrows it's visual and musical style from other people's work?
It's a mish-mash of Flushed Away, Ratatouille, Dumbo, Sleeping Beauty and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
But it's harmless and well-intented, so I concur with the 3-star rating. ... Read More
|  | | JohnnyBGoode About me | | 16:46, 15 December 2008 | Report This Post |  |
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