“ Mrs. Fox [to her son]: You’re different. We all are, him [Mr. Fox] especially. But there’s something kind of fantastic about that, isn’t there?”
Viewer's Annotation
Mr. Fox, formerly a chicken thief and now a respectable newspaper columnist, wants to have just one more adventure by stealing from the nasty farmers Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. But the farmers retaliate, creating unforeseen consequences. Will Mr. Fox be able to redeem himself and save his family and friends’ very lives before it’s too late?
About the Author & Screenwriters
Roald Dahl was born in Wales to Norwegian parents in 1916. Dahl remembered his mother as a great storyteller, and his father kept a diary, as Dahl himself did from age eight. Dahl began writing professionally in 1942, about World War II. He wrote for both adults and children, authoring over 40 books and over 60 short stories. When he passed away in 1990, he was in the middle of writing three books.
A Houston, Texas native, Wes Anderson loved filmmaking and performance as a child, shooting movies and staging school plays. He majored in philosophy at the University of Texas, where he became friends with classmate Owen Wilson. The two co-wrote the short film Bottle Rocket after college. Anderson has also co-written and/or directed films such as Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, and The Darjeeling Limited.
Noah Baumbach, who is from New York, made his writing and directing debut at age 26 with Kicking and Screaming. He also wrote The Squid and the Whale and Margot at the Wedding, and has co-written with Wes Anderson before. He and his wife, Jennifer Jason Leigh, are expecting their first child in March 2010.
Genre
Fantasy, Comedy, Action
Interest Age
9-11+ years
Plot Summary
Mr. Fox is a newspaper columnist living happily, if not opulently, with his wife, Mrs. Fox, and son, Ash, in an underground home. When Mr. Fox decides that he’d like to move his family into a house with a view, he chooses a beech tree close to the farms of Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. A former chicken-thief, Mr. Fox would love to have just one more adventure in this arena. Thus he and his friend Kylie the possum pull off three successful raids. Meanwhile, Ash is feeling very jealous of his cousin, Kristofferson, who is staying temporarily with the Fox family. Kristofferson excels at everything, including martial arts, team sports, and academics. Ash on the other hand, tries his best, but does not yet possess Kristofferson’s maturity or mastery. But life becomes difficult for all when the farmers decide to try to kill Mr. Fox, only succeeding in getting his tail. The farmers' continued pursuit drives the Fox family underground, where they realize that Mr. Fox’s actions have forced all the other animals underground too. To feed everyone, Mr. Fox tunnels into the farms and steals from them. The farmers ultimately pump cider into the animals’ new tunnel homes, forcing the animals into the sewer system. At this point, Ash and Kristofferson attempt to steal Mr. Fox’s tail back from the farmers. In this attempt, however, Kristofferson is captured. To get Kristofferson back, Mr. Fox proposes a meeting with the farmers. But when he realizes that their agreement to meet is a trap, Mr. Fox tries to convince the other animals that they must take dramatic action. But even if his creative plan is successful, there is still the issue of figuring out a way for his family and the other animals to survive indefinitely in the sewers.
Critical Evaluation
The lushly depicted world of this stop-motion animation film is engrossing from start to finish. The storylines mentioned above are expressed in an action-filled plot, balanced by domestic interaction and conflicts in the Fox household, along with a few moments of philosophical musings on the part of some of the characters. However, the tone of the movie is humorous and light throughout, even in the animals’ darkest hours. Each animal has a distinct personality, but Mr. Fox is the most developed character. He is intelligent, calm yet gregarious, and up for adventure. In conversation, he notes in a couple instances that he will always have fox characteristics and instincts, and this is clearly shown in the way he tears into his food and how a verbal argument with his friend Badger turns into snarling and waving of paws. Mr. Fox comes to the realization at one point that some of his actions are motivated by his need for everyone to think he's “fantastic”. Tweens will identify with Mr. Fox’s son, Ash, as he navigates his way through what appears to be middle or high school, and is not yet seen by his dad as competent enough to help him in his chicken-stealing escapades. Ash’s hurt feelings over the presence of his cousin Kristofferson in his household and his desire to outshine Kristofferson mirror the emotions that a human tween or young teen would go through in a similar situation. A major theme of the movie is that each of us, like Mr. Fox and his penchant for chicken-stealing, has a basic nature or urges that will always be a part of us. The trick is to fulfill our individual desires in a way that does not negatively affect our family and friends, or the community. The importance of recognizing and celebrating the differences and strengths of each individual is an additional theme.
Talking Up The Film
• Give a character booktalk as Ash, focusing on his jealousy of the multi-talented Kristofferson.
• Give a character booktalk as Mrs. Fox, giving her perspective on Mr. Fox’s chicken and cider-stealing.
Curriculum Ideas
• Literature: Students read the novel on which the movie is based, and compare the two.
• Science: Students research the traits of the animals depicted in the film, to see how they compare with the animals' personalities in the film.
Potential Challenge Issues & Defense
Alcohol consumption, violence:
• Become familiar enough with the film’s content to promote its merits.
• Refer to library’s collection development policy.
• Refer to movie reviews from authoritative sources.
• Obtain movie reviews from tweens who have seen it.
Why I Chose This Movie
I have always loved Roald Dahl, and as the novel Fantastic Mr. Fox is a good pick for ages 9-11 (and as Wes Anderson also co-wrote The Royal Tenenbaums, one of my favorite films of all time), I ran to the theater to see the FMF movie!
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