Official Movie Website Theatrical Release 12/19/08 Home Video Not Available MPAA Rating Rated G Running Time 1 hour 40 minutes Genre Comedy, Family Director Sam Fell, Rob Stevenhagen Writer Gary Ross, Will McRobb, Chris Viscardi Cast Matthew Broderick, Robbie Coltrane, Frances Conroy, Tony Hale, Ciaran Hinds, Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Kline, Frank Langella, Christopher Lloyd, William H. Macy, Stanley Tucci, Tracey Ullman, Emma Watson, Sigourney Weaver Studio Universal Pictures |
THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX (2008)
SYNOPSIS
Once upon a time, in the faraway kingdom of Dor, there
was magic in the air, laughter aplenty and gallons of
mouthwatering soup. But an accident left the King
broken-hearted, the Princess filled with longing and the
townsfolk without their soup. Sunlight disappeared.
The world became gray. All hope was lost in this
land…until Despereaux Tilling was born.
A modern fairy tale from visionary filmmaker Gary
Ross, together with directors Sam Fell & Rob
Stevenhagen, The Tale of Despereaux tells the story of
several unlikely heroes: Despereaux (Matthew
Broderick), a brave mouse banished to the dungeon for
speaking with a human; Roscuro (Dustin Hoffman), a
good-hearted rat who loves light and soup, but is exiled
to darkness; Pea (Emma Watson), a Princess in a
gloomy castle who is prisoner to her father’s grief; and
Mig (Tracey Ullman), a servant girl who longs to be a
Princess, but is forced to serve the jailer (Robbie
Coltrane).
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
Once upon a time, in the faraway kingdom of Dor, there
was magic in the air, laughter aplenty and gallons of
mouthwatering soup. But an accident left the King
broken-hearted, the Princess filled with longing and the
townsfolk without their soup. Sunlight disappeared.
The world became gray. All hope was lost in this
land…until Despereaux Tilling was born.
A modern fairy tale from visionary filmmaker Gary
Ross, together with directors Sam Fell & Rob
Stevenhagen, The Tale of Despereaux tells the story of
several unlikely heroes: Despereaux (Matthew
Broderick), a brave mouse banished to the dungeon for
speaking with a human; Roscuro (Dustin Hoffman), a
good-hearted rat who loves light and soup, but is exiled
to darkness; Pea (Emma Watson), a Princess in a
gloomy castle who is prisoner to her father’s grief; and
Mig (Tracey Ullman), a servant girl who longs to be a
Princess, but is forced to serve the jailer (Robbie
Coltrane).
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
© 2003 St. Louis Movie Review Weekly. All rights reserved, except where indicated.
All movie titles, pictures, etc...are the property of their respective studios.
All movie titles, pictures, etc...are the property of their respective studios.
| ST. LOUIS MOVIE REVIEW WEEKLY |
from Mouse World 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.
-© Universal Pictures
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.
-© Universal Pictures
