The Tooth Fairy Story Film Analysis: Cartoon Journey with a Sprinkling of Family-Friendly Preteen Romance
Throughout this cartoon adventure aimed at tweens, the fairy community is dedicated to collecting baby teeth of sleeping children and leaving treasure beneath where they sleep. Skateboarding teenage rebel fairy Van (voiced by Booboo Stewart) shows little enthusiasm about devoting his life to gathering baby teeth—a feeling that’s entirely reasonable. He’s only slightly more interested in the financial workings behind it all: the fairies deliver the teeth to unseen goblins, who supply gold as payment. But Van’s curiosity is piqued when he spots a goblin (voiced by Larkin Bell), who proves to be far from the hideous gnome he expected.
A Forbidden Bond and Common Enemy
The stage is set for an exciting quest with a gentle touch of young love (though it’s perfectly appropriate for children). The fairy and goblin communities are estranged from each other, and there’s nothing like the excitement of secrecy to bring people as one. Both groups portrayed in the film are incredibly similar, yet both maintain prejudiced beliefs about the other. The fairies are supposed to be entitled types, given to stealing anything they want, while goblins are reportedly stupid, foul-smelling, and primitive, but are actually bright and advanced in technology.
Naturally, this scenario requires a common enemy to unite against, and this is duly provided by a group of vicious spiders, with voices by Jon Lovitz and Fran Drescher. They make no secret about their intentions: they aim to devour the fairies and goblins, and they serve as quite savage, though not especially competent, villains.
Target Audience and Final Thoughts
You won’t find very many animated films aimed at the viewer group that is beginning to have early romances, but are not old enough for whatever 14-year-olds view these days in lieu of Twilight. If your child is in the right age bracket, this is unlikely to be their next favorite movie, but you could do worse.
The Tooth Fairy Story arrives in movie theaters in Scotland from 10 October and the rest of the UK beginning October 24.
