It's not that the film is a family classic; far from it. But the simple, heartwarming story of a girl and her dog, based on the popular book by Kate DiCamillo, should satisfy its 8- to 12-year-old target demographic.
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
Winn-Dixie has everything but the drama, and while that doesn't make it a dog, it never raises it above the status of stuffed toy.
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.
Won't disappoint any elementary school kid or the moms and dads who treasure their dog-eared copies of Kate DiCamillo's Newbery-honored children's novel.
A thoughtful and sometimes poignant study of how a 10-year-old girl copes with loneliness.
Parents who claim they crave thoughtful entertainment for their kids finally have a movie they can get behind.
Because of Winn-Dixie doesn't have a mean bone in its body, but it's dead in the water.
It makes a fine argument for what kid-friendly, Christian-compassionate entertainment can be.
A wonderful smiling sheepdog steals this heartwarming movie from its human actors.
It's so much more honest than the average Hollywood blather that I think you'll end up in my camp.
Without becoming particularly preachy or heavy-handed, 'Winn-Dixie' insists that acceptance and tolerance are integral parts of Christianity.
The unconditional love of a great dog can work miracles in anyone's life. Kids will love the dog and forget all the parts that don't work for them.
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