The best of this year's family-friendly film explosion so far.
Because of Winn-Dixie (2005)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:115
Fresh:62
Rotten:53
Average Rating:5.8/10
Consensus: An old-fashioned, if bland, adaptation of Kate DiCamillo's novel.
Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for thematic elements and brief mild language
Runtime: 1 hr 46 mins
Genre: Childrens
Theatrical Release:Feb 18, 2005 Wide
Box Office: $32,626,519
Synopsis: Based on the perennial best seller, BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE tells the story of a lonely young girl who adopts an orphaned dog she names Winn-Dixie (for the supermarket where she found him). The bond... Based on the perennial best seller, BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE tells the story of a lonely young girl who adopts an orphaned dog she names Winn-Dixie (for the supermarket where she found him). The bond between the girl and her special companion brings together the people in a small Florida town and heals her own troubled relationship with her father. Twentieth Century Fox and Walden Media present BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE a Wayne Wang Film adapted from the popular and much-honored novel of the same name by Kate DiCamillo. Among the book’s awards is the coveted Newbery Honor. Wang directs from a screenplay by Joan Singleton. The Producers are Trevor Albert and Joan Singleton, and the Executive Producer is Ralph Singleton. The village of Napoleonville, Louisiana stands in for the story’s fictional Naomi, Florida. Sleepy Naomi is a place where people have forgotten how to share their sadness and their joy. But Opal and Winn-Dixie might have something to say about that. Jeff Daniels, Cicely Tyson, Dave Matthews and Eva Marie Saint star as the somewhat eccentric adults who benefit from Opal and Winn-Dixie’s bumpy summer of discovery. Newcomer AnnaSophia Robb won the role of Opal following an intensive talent hunt. "Opal and Winn-Dixie have something in common," says AnnaSophia. "She doesn’t have a mother and he doesn’t have a home. They both want somebody to love and somebody to love them. And, as a team, they begin to realize that other people just might want the same things." Winn-Dixie guides Opal into places where magic dozes under a coat of dusty disappointment and awakens the people hiding there. Things begin to change day by day under the summer sun – in a funky pet store, a musty library, a drab mobile home, a ramshackle house and a convenience store-turned temple of worship. --© 20th Century Fox [More]
Starring: Jeff Daniels, AnnaSophia Robb, Dave Matthews, Cicely Tyson
Starring: Jeff Daniels, AnnaSophia Robb, Dave Matthews, Cicely Tyson, Eva Marie Saint, Elle Fanning, Courtney Jines
Director: Wayne Wang
Director: Wayne Wang
Screenwriter: John Singleton
Producer: Trevor Albert, Joan Singleton
Composer: Rachel Portman
Studio: 20th Century Fox
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Release:
Mar 17, 2009
DVD Features:
- Region 1
- NTSC
- Keep Case
- Dual Side
Audio:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
- Dolby Digital Surround - French, Spanish
- Subtitles - English, Spanish - Optional
- Disc 1/Side A: BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE - Full Frame Version
- Full Frame - 1.33
Additional Release Material:
- Audio Commentary (Scene Specific) - Anna Sophia Robb - Star
- Behind the Scenes with Winn Dixie
Trailers:
- 1. SANDLOT 2
- 2. GARFIELD
- 3. FAT ALBERT
- 4. ROBOTS
- 5. BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE Soundtrack Preview
Interactive Features:
- Scene Selelction
- Disc 1/Side B: BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE - Widescreen Version
- Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
Additional Release Material:
- Outtakes: Blooper Reel
- Featurette: Inside Look ICE AGE 2
- Audio Commentary: Trevor Albert - Producer, Jeff Daniels - Star
Reviews for Because of Winn-Dixie
Because of Winn-Dixie should provide a pleasant family outing free of any cinematic mange.
Has some wan jokes, incongruous slapstick and the occasional embarrassment, which may keep it from being as popular as the Newberry Award-winning novel by Kate DiCamillo.
Like a big glass of milk and a slice of apple pie, Because of Winn-Dixie is just as wholesome as it gets, if you don't mind overdosing on the sugar once in awhile.
Sure, there's nothing here that hasn't already been covered in a Hallmark movie, but it's still refreshing to find a well-made, enjoyable film for families.
A magical story about a lonely girl whose life is transformed by a smiling stray dog who has a spiritual gift for creating community and bringing joy to everyone.
The moment is so identical to a pivotal scene in Lars von Trier's Dogville that it makes one wonder if director Wayne Wang is intentionally paying homage.
In pace, sensibility, and big, beating heart, this is a child's first indie film, and it's the better for it.
Because of Winn-Dixie—based on the beloved novel by Kate DiCamillo—turns out to be a modest success for the family crowd.
Just the latest quasi-magic-realist, two-birds-with-one-stone shrine to non-traditional families and the power of myth
A sweet film, laced with magic realism, and it tackles some rather dark themes in a way that is perfectly appropriate for young children.
Such a misfire that even the title can think of nothing else but to blame the poor dog.
Director Wayne Wang and screenwriter Joan Singleton have crafted an utterly faithful film adaptation of Kate DiCamillo's affecting Newbery Honor story.
while Wang hits some high notes with a few scattered flights of fancy, he mostly bungles this girl and her dog tale with painfully awkward direction and mind-numbing treacle
The artificial, manufactured feel of “Because of Winn Dixie” kept me at arm’s length
Relentlessly cute and adorable, it at least has a slight sour edge that gives us above-8s something to cling to. Briefly.
This simple coming-of-age tale tends to drift away on tangential story lines, but should still warm the hearts of audiences of all ages.
I left the theater with joy in my heart. And it's all because of Winn-Dixie.
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