My 11-year-old daughter and I watched the video of Harriet the Spy last night. I found the story a bit slow to get going, but my daughter loved it. Once the plot finally kicks in (Harriet alienates her friends when they read the "truth" about them in her secret diary), it is well-developed and very "real". The resolution is satisfying without getting too soppy. The young actors are all superb, and the quick-cut editing gives it quite a pacy feel that my daughter really responded to.
My favourite scene was the cat man in "Birdland"--good enough we rewound the tape for my husband (a jazz fan) to watch the scene.
One oddity my daughter and I both puzzled over... After Harriet's parents confiscate her diary, she is seen destroying it in her room, and later her parents return it to her intact. It seemed to us like that middle scene was intended to be cut, but got put in anyway.
I gave this film 8/10 from a "family viewing" and "production quality" aspect. My daughter gave it a thumbs-up 10/10, and she doesn't do that very often. If she's the target audience, and I presume she is, the film-makers got this one right on the nose.
My favourite scene was the cat man in "Birdland"--good enough we rewound the tape for my husband (a jazz fan) to watch the scene.
One oddity my daughter and I both puzzled over... After Harriet's parents confiscate her diary, she is seen destroying it in her room, and later her parents return it to her intact. It seemed to us like that middle scene was intended to be cut, but got put in anyway.
I gave this film 8/10 from a "family viewing" and "production quality" aspect. My daughter gave it a thumbs-up 10/10, and she doesn't do that very often. If she's the target audience, and I presume she is, the film-makers got this one right on the nose.