The Tale of Despereaux

2008

The Tale of Despereaux

Critics Consensus

Despite its striking visuals, The Tale of Despereaux as a story feels familiar and unimaginative.

57%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 109

44%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 163,690
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Movie Info

"The Tale of Despereaux" tells the story of several unlikely heroes: Despereaux, a brave mouse banished to the dungeon for speaking with a human; Roscuro, a good-hearted rat who loves light and soup, but is exiled to darkness; Pea, a Princess in a gloomy castle who is prisoner to her father's grief; and Mig, a servant girl who longs to be a Princess, but is forced to serve the jailer. Tiny and graced with oversized ears, Despereaux was born too big for his little world. Refusing to live his life cowering, he befriends a Princess named Pea and learns to read (rather than eat) books--reveling in stories of knights, dragons and fair maidens. Banished from Mouseworld for being more man than mouse, Despereaux is rescued by another outcast, Roscuro, who also wants to hear the tales. But when the Princess dismisses Roscuro's friendship, he becomes the ultimate rat and plots revenge with fellow outsider Mig. After Pea is kidnapped, Despereaux discovers he is the only one who can rescue her--and that even the tiniest mouse can find the courage of a knight in shining armor. In this tale of bravery, forgiveness and redemption, one small creature will teach a kingdom that it takes only a little light to show the truth: what you look like doesn't equal what you are.

Cast

Matthew Broderick
as Despereaux
Tracey Ullman
as Mig
Ciarán Hinds
as Botticelli
Frances Conroy
as Antoinette
Richard Jenkins
as Principal
Tony Hale
as Furlough
Robbie Coltrane
as Gregory
Frank Langella
as Inquisitor
Christopher Lloyd
as Hovis
Stanley Tucci
as Boldo
Kevin Kline
as Andre
William H. Macy
as Lester
Charles Shaughnessy
as Pietro
Sigourney Weaver
as Narrator, The Narrator
James Nesbitt
Dustin Hoffman
as Roscuro
Emma Watson
as Princess Pea
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News & Interviews for The Tale of Despereaux

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Critic Reviews for The Tale of Despereaux

All Critics (109) | Top Critics (33) | Fresh (62) | Rotten (47)

  • Scratch a CGI fairytale and you'll find an allegory about class, particularly if rodents are involved.

    Jan 9, 2009 | Rating: 1.5/5 | Full Review…

    Jake Wilson

    The Age (Australia)
    Top Critic

  • It just tries to take a little bit from some of the things we've seen over the past few years that have worked to make this work and it's just desperate and it doesn't work.

    Dec 22, 2008 | Full Review…

    Ben Lyons

    At the Movies
    Top Critic

  • It's like Ratatouille meets Upstairs Downstairs to go sort of cross-generational but it didn't work really on any level.

    Dec 22, 2008

    Ben Mankiewicz

    At the Movies
    Top Critic

  • . The plot is too convoluted and there are too many characters to keep track of.

    Dec 19, 2008 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…

    Linda Barnard

    Toronto Star
    Top Critic

  • [The directors] can't quite locate a core of buoyant energy in the film as a whole.

    Dec 19, 2008 | Rating: 2/4

    Tom Keogh

    Seattle Times
    Top Critic

  • The Tale of Despereaux may not be a classic, but it still has a lot of class.

    Dec 19, 2008 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

    Peter Hartlaub

    San Francisco Chronicle
    Top Critic
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Audience Reviews for The Tale of Despereaux

  • Dec 02, 2011
    Good animation, but a boring and unintellegent story. Really not very good, a better tale for a straight to DVD movie.
    Bradley W Super Reviewer
  • Jun 13, 2011
    This is a very sweet and beautifully animated movie. I thought all the characters were memorable, and the story was very good and charming. I've read some reviews where people say that this movie is too dark and boring, but this is not true in my opinion. Animated movies don't need to be all pink and happy in order to be good, sadly it has become a common standard for people to expect this. I really liked this movie.
    Naughtia N Super Reviewer
  • May 12, 2011
    a visually wonderful film for familys and kids. full of wonderful charecters here and there and the animatin is good looking. very imaginable and creative. B+
    Juan C Super Reviewer
  • Mar 03, 2011
    Good animation, but a boring and unintellegent story. Really not very good, a better tale for a straight to DVD movie.
    Jim C Super Reviewer
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