Movie Review – ‘Kit Kittredge: An American Girl’

After a recent onslaught of special effects-laden superhero adventures, ‘Kit Kittredge: An American Girl’ may come as sweet relief to some parents.

A spin-off from the phenomenally popular American Girl franchise, it is a gentle, traditional film, perfect for kids of all ages.

The movie tells the story of a plucky girl growing up in Cincinnati during the Great Depression, who dreams of being a journalist.

Kit, played by Abigail Breslin, (who some may remember from ‘Little Miss Sunshine’) looks to her friends, neighbors and family for journalistic inspiration, as they struggle with businesses going bust and losing their homes.

Her father (Chris O’Donnell) is forced to move to Chicago in search of work, while her mother (Julie Ormond) takes in an array of colorful lodgers to help pay the rent.

John Cusack shines as an oddball ‘mobile librarian’, while a dancer, a magician and a classmate give Kit plenty to write about as they move into her home.

Parents may find this film a little saccharine, but it does offer wholesome family fun with a positive message about helping others and the importance of pulling together.

With its strong female characters, girls in particular are likely to love ‘Kit Kittredge’, so this could be the perfect father and daughter movie.

In terms of age suitability, as it has no swearing or scenes of a sexual nature and very little violence, it would probably be appropriate for children from the age of five upwards, although this is up to individual parent’s discretion.