Godmothered
Detailed parental analysis
Godmother or Almost is a light and warm whimsical comedy, carried by a colourful and benevolent atmosphere. An inexperienced young fairy godmother reunites with the little girl she was meant for, now grown into a widowed adult, and clumsily attempts to offer her a fairy tale. The film primarily targets children from 6-7 years old and families, with a layer of irony accessible to adults.
Underlying Values
This is the heart of the film and its most interesting subject for discussion. The narrative challenges the classical fairy tale model, the one where happiness boils down to finding Prince Charming and living in perpetual bliss. The film argues that happiness can take multiple forms, notably that of family love, friendship and rebuilding after grief. This deconstruction is sincere, even if it is sometimes delivered with a heavy hand in the final act, which may have irritated some adult viewers. For a child accustomed to traditional tales, it is a useful gateway towards a more nuanced vision of what it means to 'live happily'.
Parental and Family Portrayals
The central parental figure is a widowed mother who raises her two daughters alone following the accidental death of her husband. Grief is present in the narrative without being visually traumatic, but it is evoked clearly and forms the emotional engine of the story. The mother-daughters relationship is portrayed with tenderness, and the rebuilding of this family is at the heart of the film's message. This is a point to anticipate with children who have experienced a similar loss.
Substances
A scene takes place in a bar where adults drink beer and shots, and the fairy godmother appears slightly tipsy. Alcohol consumption is presented in a casual and lightly comic manner, without being glorified or condemned. A line alludes to drugs in jest, without elaboration. These elements are incidental to the film's overall structure but merit flagging for parents of very young children.
Sex and Nudity
The film contains a few light allusions to adult sexuality, including a euphemistic metaphor around 'clearing the driveway' to evoke an intimate relationship. These winks are aimed at adults and will largely go over children's heads. Nothing explicit or visually suggestive.
Violence
Violence is limited to a few unintentional physical gags, a billiard ball that accidentally hits someone and a character knocked over by a sledge. These sequences are purely comic, with no intention to harm and no dramatic consequence. No emotional or psychological violence to report.
Language
The language is overall very mild. There are a few light insults such as 'idiot' or 'weird', and substitute swear words specific to the film's fairy realm. Nothing that exceeds the scope of a family-friendly film for all audiences.
Strengths
The film has the merit of taking its subject matter seriously without taking itself too seriously. The deconstruction of the fairy tale is carried out with genuine thematic coherence, and the character of the fairy godmother offers a naive and sincere perspective on the expectations society projects onto women regarding romantic happiness. The humour is gentle and well-balanced for a family audience. The pacing is uneven, particularly in the first half, and the film does not rival the best whimsical comedies of the genre, but it honestly delivers on its emotional promise and leaves a positive impression.
Age recommendation and discussion points
The film is suitable from age 7, with parental presence recommended for younger children to help navigate the evocations of grief. Two angles of discussion are worth pursuing after viewing: ask the child what 'living happily' means to them and whether it resembles what traditional tales show, and together address the question of what one does when life does not resemble the tale one hoped for.
Synopsis
A young and unskilled fairy godmother that ventures out on her own to prove her worth by tracking down a young girl whose request for help was ignored. What she discovers is that the girl has now become a grown woman in need of something very different than a "prince charming."
About this title
- Format
- Feature film
- Year
- 2020
- Runtime
- 1h 50m
- Countries
- United States of America
- Original language
- EN
- Directed by
- Sharon Maguire
- Main cast
- Jillian Bell, Isla Fisher, Santiago Cabrera, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Jane Curtin, Jillian Shea Spaeder, Willa Skye, June Squibb, Artemis Pebdani, Utkarsh Ambudkar
- Studios
- Walt Disney Pictures, The Montecito Picture Company, Studio AKA
Content barometer
- Violence1/5Mild
- Fear1/5Mild
- Sexuality1/5Allusions
- Language1/5Mild
- Narrative complexity2/5Moderate
- Adult themes2/5Present
Values conveyed
- Acceptance of difference
- Compassion
- Autonomy
- Forgiveness
- friendship
- hope
- resilience
- family