A little girl has a bright future ahead of her. How do I know? She and her mother (Rachel McAdams) have her whole life planned out. A life plan so intense she’s more like her mother’s Senior VP than her daughter. Her mother’s best compliment: “You are going to make a wonderful grownup.”
But the crazy old man (Jeff Bridges) next door draws her out of her mature little shell with his fanciful inventions and his beautiful story-telling. His stories and drawings come to life in animation within the animation: the story of The Little Prince.
Growing up it was always Le Petit Prince to me, but even en anglais, the timeless story warms the heart. The main story, starring the little girl, and the crazy man’s story, starring the little prince, are distinguished with different styles of animation. The little girl is done in familiar CG style; the little prince is stop-motion, done not in clay but in paper. Both are lovely, 
but I confess a fondness for the nostalgia and simple loveliness of the latter.
The voice cast is incredible: Jeff Bridges, Paul Rudd, Albert Brooks, Marion Cotillard, Benicio Del Toro, and more. It’s a real testament to just how cherished the book is, around the world. The Little Prince is a sweet children’s book but it can be read and enjoyed by adults, with many layers of themes to interpret. The same goes for the movie, faithfully and lovingly adapted from its source.
The little girl, too grown up for her own good, rediscovers childhood 
through friendship with the batty old guy next door. But anyone who knows the story knows that along with sweetness, there is also sorrow. The first half of the movie is all poetry and imagination. The second half falters a bit when it gets further away from Saint-Exupéry’s ideas and ideals. The movie is a little less fanciful than the novella, a little more down to earth. But The Little Prince has always been the stuff of dreams, too good, too ethereal for Earth. It’s still lovely though. It’s still one of the loveliest things I’ve seen all summer.
ASSHOLES WATCHING MOVIES 
Now I am not afraid to watch it anymore. I was terrified at the thought that the novella was going to be butchered. Good news!
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Of course it can’t capture the magic completely, but it does honour the spirit.
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(clapping)
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My love little Prince
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I’ve been putting off watching this because I was nervous about the possibility of them ruining such a beautiful story, so it’s great to hear how well dons it actually is. I’m goung to try to watch it this weekend. Great review Jay!😊
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Yes, I was nervous too. But even the soundtrack was ephemeral and transcendent.
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Sounds lovely, will try and see this.
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It was a book I enjoyed a lot as a kid too. I’m glad to hear the movie is worth seeing. This’ll be one I watch with my own kids, I think. 🙂
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I need to watch this. I loved this book. Still baffled as to how this never really appeared in theatres!
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Netflix bought it.
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Aha! Now it makes sense!
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One of these days I should really read this book. I’ve heard so much about it, usually around movie adaptations.
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You should read it. It should be required reading.
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You know, I’ve never read “The Little Prince…” Must be something wrong with me! I’d best rectify that!!!
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Watched the French version last year. I’ve been loving the book, but this adaptation has gone even further than the book, which is a good thing. It’s not only a good movie for kids, adults would enjoy it, too, I think. Great review!
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And Marion Cotillard dubbed them both!
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Oh yeah, that’s cool!
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Nice review, Jay. I still prefer the book but the movie was beautiful too 🙂
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This looks like a lovely film and your review was very nice to read Jay.
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