Picturehouse Inc New Line Cinema in association with HBO released "Kit Kittredge An American Girl" on October twenty-eighth, 2008 . Before the movie was made Kit was introduced to the public as one of the American Girl dolls the Pleasant Company in New York produced. Valerie Tripp wrote a series of books on Kit and the very first one "Meet Kit" is what this movie is based on.

I am writing about "Kit Kittredge An American Girl" because I saw the movie on DVD  recently and was impressed how the Kittredge Family and their friends carried on in spite of their hard times during the depression period. This is a fine example for children. This is a movie where children can learn part of history, part of what was and perhaps someday will come back with the way hard times seem to be today.

Nine-year-old  Kitt Kittredge is beautifully portrayed by Abigail Breslin. A spunky little reporter who loves to write and whose brother works in the local newspaper business, Kitt is determined to prove to the town of Cincinnatti, Ohio that hobos are people too and most hobos are good people. Hobo is a word used for the homeless of that time and era and there are plenty that roam through the affluent neighborhoods of Cincinnatti where Kit resides.

In the wake of the great depression of the 1930’s, Kit’s father, played by Chris O’Donnell, loses his car dealership business and sadly has to leave for Chicago to find work leaving behind his family who decides to take in borders (Stanley Tucci, Joan Cusack and Jane Kraknowski) to keep their finances afloat.

During his absence, Kit is working on her journal while waiting for letters her father promised.  She then becomes engrossed in a puzzling mystery when her mother, played by Julia Ormond, realizes their safe deposit box is missing and all trails lead to a young boy named Will, Max Therit, known to townspeople as a hobo, who is doing work for her mother. Kit is determined to prove him innocent in spite of all the odds.

This is a very exciting warmhearted and fun loving story and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. The soundtrack of the era in the beginning of the movie, was a fine start in introducing a delightful story. There are some really good funny parts too. You will certainly like Stanley Tucci as the mild magician and Joan Cusack playing the wayward lady driving the mobile library that most always knocks down fences.

The movie keeps its exciting pace throughout the story and there is certainly never a dull moment in Kit Kittredge’s life. I give an A Plus to this brilliant cast!
 
This single DVD disc comes in the standard and widescreen version and is in color. Kitt Kittredge An American Girl is 100 minutes long. A truly enjoyable movie that will grab your attention from beginning to end.


This review is written for the "February,2009 Mean and Lean Write-Off." It contains under 500 words.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: None of the Above
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12