Today’s quick review: The Tale of Despereaux. Despereaux (Matthew Broderick), a brave little mouse, gets his chance to become a knight when he meets Princess Pea (Emma Watson), whose kingdom has fallen into despair following a tragic accident. Despereaux embarks on a bold quest to lift the princess’ spirits. By a stroke of luck, he meets just the person who can help: Roscuro (Dustin Hoffman), the rat who was responsible for the accident.
The Tale of Despereaux is an animated family fantasy adventure about a mouse with gallant ideals. The Tale of Despereaux puts a new spin on classic storybook themes, replacing the knight in shining armor with a humbler protagonist. The movie features likable characters, a cozy story, an intricate plot, and a cast of familiar voices. However, some odd choices when it comes to story structure make the movie hit-or-miss.
The Tale of Despereaux takes a different approach than other tales of chivalry. Rather than a central conflict with a clear villain, it has a winding plot that connects the plights of several different characters. Despereaux enters their lives like the pebble that kicks off an avalanche, causing just a few changes that set many new events in motion. Along the way, he awakens a noble spirit in nearly everyone he meets.
The upshot of this approach is that it is not just a linear journey to confront a villain. The plot requires several important pieces to function, and one of the great payoffs of the movie is seeing how they come together. This structure also means getting to know a broad cast of characters, who earn the audience’s affection bit by bit. Throughout it all, Sigourney Weaver’s excellent narration serves to keep the story on track.
The downside of this approach is that it is indirect. Rather than setting the stage and diving into the meat of the story, The Tale of Despereaux takes its time to introduce the characters, let them play out their individual stories for a while, and only then inch towards the main conflict. In addition to the slow start, the characters are fairly passive. Even Despereaux himself is more of a pawn of fate than a hero in his own right.
The Tale of Despereaux has a very peculiar sort of appeal. It is a love letter to tales of chivalry, and it takes pains to make sure its characters are all loved and respected. At the same time, its unusual story structure and low stakes can make it a hard movie to get into. Fans of optimistic stories and quaint adventures will get what they want out of the movie. Those looking for a story with a stronger backbone may want to steer clear.
For a more even-footed storybook adventure, try Tangled. For an animated comedy about a rodent with big dreams, try Ratatouille. For a musical about a would-be knight, try The Man of La Mancha. For a more irreverent take on storybook heroism, try Shrek.
[6.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0420238/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for storybook charm in a hit-or-miss style.