Customer Reviews

Felicity - An American Girl Adventure

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Getting children interested in history is a tough thing to do, especially colonial American history. And it's a rarity these days when a historical film is made that is directed mainly to children. It's even more rare when such a film is done well enough that adults can enjoy it, too. "Felicity - An American Girl Adventure" is one of those extremely rare movies that shows, fairly accurately, life in the colonial era of our country's history. Oh, I'll be the first to admit that there are 'liberties' taken in this film, as is normal with Hollywood-type movies. But when one compares the liberties taken here to a historical film with more of an adult nature ("The Scarlet Letter" comes to mind) I would say Felicity is much closer to historical accuracy.
The purpose of this film, however, is not necessarily to be a history lesson, but instead an entertaining story set during colonial times. Entertainment that tweens and parents should both enjoy and yet still understand the history behind it.
The best part is - - - there IS history to be learned here.
I enjoyed the inter-action of the main characters, especially with the grandfather, as it shows our ancestors not as stiff wood-cut sketches from history books but real people that actually existed at one time just like we exist today. In the course of watching this film we see fear, concern, anger, frustration...and happiness. This movie includes some of the discourse between family members concerning the outset of what would become the American Revolution, which, for whom this movie is geared towards, was really taking a gamble. But, I feel it paid off. This alone is reason to award this film five stars, as school children in today's day and age do not always get both sides of the story. Even I, who went to school in the 60's and 70's, was taught that the people who lived in the colonies - virtually ALL of the people - were against the King of England. It wasn't until I took it upon myself many years later to study that era that I found out that many, many folks were loyalists and took arms against family members and neighbors. "Felicity," for the first time that I can see in a movie geared toward children, shows that other side of our history.
And, okay, I'll admit that seeing a ten year old girl sneaking out in the middle of the night to ride another person's horse might be taking it beyond reality of the time, but the director and producer and script writers are following the story line from the popular books. We know that little girls disobeying their parents without retribution would not have taken place during that time (although I'm sure most of today's youngsters will not follow Felicity's lead in this). And it does make for a good story that young folks can follow without the "fast-action-gotta-keep-'em-interested" style that's so popular to today's youth. But, the adult viewer must be aware that this movie is tailored toward the younger set and, thus, may not get into the deep details - or may gloss over - certain facts for story's sake. It does, however, allow for a story that can draw the kids, as well as their parents, in.

As a Civil War re-enactor, I tend to look for farbiness (inaccuracies) in all period movies (not just Civil War era flicks) and I must say there was very little that I could see in "Felicity." Oh, a few minor things in this movie are inaccurate - "Hello" was not a greeting at that time as we know it to be today, and Christmas was slightly over-done for the colonial period - but, all in all, the over-all viewing seemed to be a window into the past.

But, that's okay. I feel films like this (as well as the Felicity books) may just entice kids to learn more about Felicity's time period on their own, and that would be a good thing, don't you think?

My daughter and I loved the American Girl movie " Samantha: An American Girl Holiday" and eagerly looked forward to "Felicity: An American Girl Adventure". The movie centers around 10 year old Felicity in 1775 Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. Felicity is a tomboy, would rather spend time with the horses, however her mother wishes her to become a "gentlewoman" (wife, mother, housekeeper). Upon taking her "gentlewoman lessons" she meets Annabelle and Elizabeth Cole. The Coles are loyalists from England living in the colonies. Elizabeth and Felicity become friends however their friendship is tested when Elizabeths father is sent to prison for showing loyalty to the king. The other part of the story is that Felicity befriends an abused horse owned by Jiggy Nye. Felicity ends up befriending the horse, training the horse, unintentionally stealing her, only to have her grandfather purchase the horse for her in the end. Felicity starts out as a self centered 10 year old but she learns to put others first, she rescues her father's apprentice Ben from the bounty hunters, she visits Jiggy Nye in prison to give him food and a blanket and lastly she takes care of her family while her mother is ill. By the end of the movie Felicity has changed from a child to a "gentlewoman" as her mother calls her. This movie will appeal to girls as well as boys while introducing American history to them. This is a movie for you to watch with your family again and again.

I watched the film with my 8-yr-old daughter and 10-year-old son, and we really enjoyed it. The movie spent just enough time talking about Loyalists and Patriots that it really opened the doors for the kids to ask questions about Democrats and Republicans, and how families can be torn apart by their beliefs. The moviw was well-acted and beautifully filmed.
I liked it, and I'm a 50-year old Dad!

Felicity was a wonderful movie for my 8-year old daughter. The scenery was beautiful and the characters were very much like the American Girl books written. My daughter also thought the characters were very polite and kind, something you do not see too often in movies today.

My daughter has some thoughts..."I loved this movie. I am 7 years old and I love American Girl. I really like Felicity because she is high spirited, loves horses and is way braver than Ben, a boy! I like the Felicity books too. The movie is a little different than the books, but not much. I think they just did this to make the movie totally awesome. Every girl should watch this movie!!! It is great. Felicity stood up for what she believes in and was helpful and kind. She is someone to look up to."

YO, 1 STAR REVIERS! YOU ARE RAINING ON OTHER GIRLS PARADES! IT'S ABOUT THE FRIENDSHIP OF THE TWO GIRLS! IT'S NOT ABOUT THE OTHER WHAT YOU CALL "BAD EXAMPLE" DETAILS! IT'S JUST ABOUT FRIENDS STRUGGLING TO KEEP THIER FRIENDSHIP ALIVE! YOU ARE SCARING AWAY GIRLS WHO LOVE AMERICAN GIRL! BESIDES, IT'S TO ENTERTAIN GIRLS, NOT TO MAKE PARENTS PICK AT THE TINIEST, TIENSIEST, SMALLEST THINGS! SO, GO FOR THE MOVIE, EVERYBODY! DON'T LISTEN TO THE CRY-BABIES! GET THE MOVIE! Oh, and thank you for reading.

This is certainly a beautiful film in it's evocation of the period, and there's a lot that is good about it.



However, a central and ongoing plot point teaches a very dangerous lesson to children. In the story, Felicity *repeatedly* disobeys her parents' clear instructions in order to visit an almost-wild horse (belonging to the "villian" of the story) and to tame and train the horse secretly, by night. It takes many night sessions in order for her to do this.



In the context of the story this is very dangerous behavior because not only was the horse wild (having been previously demonstrated to be dangerous), but the man to whom it belongs was also, at that time, mean, drunken looking, and obviously threatening had he found Felicity on his property at night. And, of course it was deliberate disobedience against her parents for her to be doing it anyway.



Now, during Felicity's repeated disobedient and dangerous visits I kept thinking that, in Disney-like fashion (that is, the *older* classic Disney films), there would probably be some consequences to her repeated and deliberate disobedience, and therefore a good lesson learned. I thought that the huge horse, with it's wildly rearing hooves, would certainly hurt the child, necessatating the ugly intervention of the property owner, and thus teaching the girl (and the viewers) a moral lesson about the serious consequences of deliberate parental disobedience.


Was I right?


Nope.


In the story, the child successfully "trains" the horse by repeated disobedient and secretive nighttime visits, and, in the end, the adults basically overlook it, and in effect give their consent and approbation to everything the girl did. (Her triumphant ride through the meadow after taming the horse, with theme music swelling up under the beautiful scenery effectively makes the girl's actions of disobedience out to be heroic). On top of that, the girl even gets the horse in the end (for which she's been dreaming the whole film, and which motivated her disobedience throughout).


There's no doubt that this is a well produced and visually beautiful film with a lot of good things about it --- and therein lies the danger.


Many parents will think this is wholesome family oriented entertainment and won't stop to consider the overriding LESSON being taught their children by the central crisis/desire of the main character (with whom the children are most strongly identifying!).


(As an aside, I must also mention that a previous reviewer's comments about the cleavage in the ladies costumes is also something which I noticed as being extreme and out of period. If a real character of the time had worn the sort of buxom-displaying attire that Marcia Gay Harden's character (the mother!!) wears in this film, she would certainly have been considered a "lady of the street". I also noted that, in that day, no child would have been allowed to even enter a prison, much less visit a prisioner as happens in the film. Prisons in those days were dark almost dungeonlike places and there's no way a father would have taken his daughter into one.)



However, these historical inaccuracies are minor points compared to the overriding moral lesson of the film which is this: IT'S OKAY TO DISOBEY YOUR PARENTS AND YOUR FONDEST DREAMS WILL COME TRUE IF YOU DO.


Bottom line: beautiful film, bad lesson. It is a real shame.


One wonders what sort of parents the producers and writers are themselves that they did not spot this gaping moral flaw in the script before production. But, then, sadly, some parents just don't care these days, do they?


If you are not familiar with the Disney film classics of the '40s through '70s, do yourself a favor and investiate them instead. There are many historical films there which, while the history may not always be exactly accurate, at least do not overtly teach accompanying lessons which work AGAINST the very lessons which family-oriented parents are trying to teach their children in the first place.

This is a got-to-watch movie!! It is so touching and daring when Felicity released her Jiggy Nye's horse which she loved. In doing this, she fell of the horse but managed to jump over the fence and set Penny free. Everything is great, EVERYTHING! I'm a horse-lover myself. Then that's when Felicity shows her kindness and loyalness. She rescued her bestfriend's father from jail through her father. She showed her kindness by giving food and a blanket to Jiggy Nye the man who tried to kill Penny. Again, this is a thumbs-up movie! Great job to Shailene Woodley and to all the people who's hard work made this movie possible for everyone to enjoy!

I saw this movie when it first premired, I only did it for Johnathan Schenider and Kevin Zegers. But then...I realized that this is one of my favorite American Girls were talking about! So I then watched the movie for fun and I loved it! Even though the events were out of order, I still enjoyed it! I love the fact that Felicity's father is always there to comfort her, I love the fact that Felicity helped Penny escaped...but my favorite scene out of all this movie...would have to be The Christmas Eve Ball. It was so beautiful, with the people dancing and greeting them. It was just so pretty! And I also enjoyed it when Patriot was born. I think Felicity did the right thing by getting old Jiggy Nye to help. And even though he was so mean to Penny before, I am glad his heart melted and got into the Christmas spirit, and he was able to join Felicity's family and friends for Christmas dinner. This movie is a 5-star rating. And if it allowed us kids to rate it 50 stars, I will! I just hope you guys agree on this, cause I enjoin Felicity and I hope you all do to. And who knows, maybe when you get older someday, your little girls may learn to love it as well.

I watched this film with both my 11 and 9 yr. old daughters and they loved it! Absolutely nothing was inappropriate along the lines of clothing (not an exposed bosom in site). I found the horse's owner to be scary and mean, but in the end (surprise) he turns out to be a nice guy. Regarding Felicity and disobeying her parents - it's just a story! Most kids over 8 know the difference between right and wrong. This is much friendlier than other movies being offered today. A great alternative for kids that are too old for Disney cartoons but too young for Harry Potter and the likes. I'm surprised it's being torn apart by some reviewers.