The Borrowers . Tucson Weekly . 03-02-98

The Borrowers

DIRECTED BY: Peter Hewitt

REVIEWED: 03-02-98

Set in an anachronistic city that's part '90s and part '40s, part Dickensian London and part Spielbergian America, The Borrowers is far more inventive and detailed than you'd expect from a movie that could be titled Honey, I Shrunk the Stereotypical Red-Haired Limeys. The dumb plot, which involves John Goodman as an obnoxiously evil real-estate lawyer who wants to destroy the home where the Borrowers hide out, can be overlooked when it leads to this many clever little-people-in-a-big-world scenes. Whether the Borrowers are in the refrigerator (with product placement galore, of course), sneaking among toy soldiers or hopping from bottle to bottle in a dairy factory, the special effects remain impeccable and there's always a palpable sense of danger. I actually worried the Borrowers might be squished at any moment. Kids really seemed to enjoy themselves, too--especially the girl who held up her teddy bear throughout so it could see the movie. When interviewed, the teddy bear said, "That was terrific! I very much liked it!" in a cutesy voice that became muffled as it was put away in a small, pink backpack.

--Woodruff

Full Length Reviews
The Borrowers
The Borrowers
The Borrowers

Capsule Reviews
The Borrowers

Other Films by Peter Hewitt
Tom & Huck

Film Vault Suggested Links
The Iron Giant
Star Kid
James and the Giant Peach

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