Because Of Winn-Dixie Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Discover what happens when you go looking for a miracle and a miracle comes looking for you.
A 10-year-old girl, abandoned by her mother when she was three, moves to a small town in Florida with her father, a preacher. While there, she adopts a stray dog whom she names after the local supermarket where he was found. With her goofy pooch by her side, she meets an eclectic group of townspeople and rekindles an almost lost relationship with her father.
| AnnaSophia Robb | Opal |
| Jeff Daniels | Preacher |
| Cicely Tyson | Gloria |
| Dave Matthews | Otis |
| Eva Marie Saint | Miss Franny |
| Courtney Jines | Amanda Wilkinson |
| Nick Price | Dunlap Dewberry |
| Luke Benward | Stevie Dewberry |
| Elle Fanning | Sweetie Pie Thomas |
| Marca Price | Mrs. Dewberry |
| Lenore Banks | Mrs. Detweller |
| B.J. Hopper | Mr. Alfred |
| John McConnell | Store Manager |
| Harland Williams | Policeman |
| William Arthur Pitts | Churchgoer 1 |
| Wayne Wang |
6.10 out of 10 (2897 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Because of Winn-Dixie, a winner
posted on 27 Aug 2009If you enjoy family movies like "Second-Hand Lions" be sure to catch this one. It has an "Andy Griffith" feel to it. An excellent cast with great acting by young and old alike and includes some well known stars. The story centers around a young girl finding a dog going crazy in a Winn-Dixie and taking it home. What happens after that almost seems magical in a warm-hearted story about a small towns people and how they all come to love a dog. This dog has a true doggy smile that will likely crack you up a few times, but especially when he does it at the pratfalls of the sheriff played by Harland Williams.
Great acting and wonderful story make this DVD a keeper for the whole family. I bought it sight unseen based on reviews here and I am glad I did. This is a must see movie for animal lovers. The price was good and this is a very entertaining family movie that has good replayability. Good quality picture and sound and includes basic extras. I recommend this as a purchase since you will many times recoup the $10 in sound family enjoyment. If you enjoy movies that include a wonderful character narration and respects everyones intelligence, get this.
because of winn dixie
posted on 15 Aug 2009This was a great book!!!!
Once you read a sentence...it would turn into many wounderful pages of mistery, to figure out why Opal's mom really left.. this is a great,heart-warming book for the soul!!!
I RECOMEND IT TO ANYONE WHO ENJOYS A GREAT BOOK!!!!!!
FROM TINESE
AGE:14
Great movie for the whole family
posted on 21 Jul 2009No matter what others say, I think that Winn-Dixie is a great movie that every member of the family can watch and enjoy. It is funny without being too silly and dramatic without being too sappy, and has some very good morals. There are no sex/violence elements to worry about; they are practically nonexistent, and the movie was kept very true to the book. The actors are very excellent in their roles, especially newcomer Annasophia Robb. This is a deep movie,too, with a great handling of its thematic elements and a great amount of substance. This is not an average made-for-TV type movie, but an actual memorable film. My advice is, if you're looking for a great family film, to see Because of Winn-Dixie.
HEARTFELT, Realistically WHOLESOME MOVIE - LOVED IT
posted on 15 Jul 2009***CONTAINS MILD SPOILERS*** What can I say about this movie?... It has all the components of what a truly fantastic family (and everyone else who appreciates non-violent) movie: love, trust, loss and most importantly - faith. Winn Dixie changed the lives of a Preacher, his daughter and several towns folk. The Preacher and Opal (his daughter) gained the chance to heal from his wife leaving. Obnoxious twin brothers finally stopped teasing Opal. A town "witch" (Cicley Tyson which I TOTALLY ADORE!!!) was found to be a beautiful soul. Who says that a dog's love and devotion is nothing???!!! This movie is in no way violent nor manevolent. Even though in my general genre of movies, family movies usually fall behind Sci-Fi., Action, Classic, Drama and then Family Movies. But, this movie touched my heart so much that I immediately ordered a copy from Amazon.com to add to my collection. If you want to see a warm, all-round heartfelt (not a tearjerker!!! but heartfelt) movie...this movie is it. It reminds me of "My Dog Skip". I rate this movie a 10. G. from Florida
Funny and Charming!!!
posted on 14 Jul 2009The animal movies like Air Bud are really fun to wacth.This is another animal movie wich stars a dog(the most poular animal topic for a live action movie)Winn - Dixie.Unlike any other animal movies it wasn't action(exept the part when Winn - Dixie got lost)or any adventure like that.It's funny for little kids and charming for adults.Because Of Winn Dixie was a funny,charming movie(ending up with my review tittle)full of stories and.......POLLY WANT A CRAKER!!!!!!!!with ends up with Polly in the latest Air Bud Series.
Because of Winn-Dixie
posted on 28 Jun 2009I never seen Winn-Dixie movie before and I put my name in at the store to get my copy. First I read the book and I loved it. and then I got the movie scrapbook and I am already for the the movie. All I need now is the plush Winn-Dixie dog and then I will be all set to go.
Thank you
Not a childish film
posted on 24 Jun 2009There's a big difference between films that are childish and those that are child-like. Because of Winn-Dixie is childlike because it captures the longing Opal has for friends and answers about her mother's abandonment. But Opal's longings are those we can understand because we've all probably felt them at some time in our life. I read many, many books for children and young adults because I am a professor who teaches those areas of literature. This film is faithful to the novel. It brings out the best of the original work. It offers humor, warmth, and captures Opal's neediness and cleverness; all without manipulation. I've recommended it to my students, fellow professors, and vet.
Silly? Simplistic?
posted on 22 Jun 2009Okay, I am fourteen years old, and I just so happened to love this movie. It is so different from all those stupid chick flicks out there...princess diaries, ella enchanted. This movie has depth. It makes you cry, makes you laugh, makes you think. And, like one reviewer already mentioned, it never crosses over into cheesy sappyness.
There are so many good things about this movie, I can't even begin to name them. It has REAL characters, people who could really exist in real life. They seem real, and because of that, you like them. It has beautiful shots of the landscape, like a view of Gloria Dump's bottle tree, swaying in the wind. It's a sweet, sad story that doesn't make you feel preached to. This movie, like the book, has a theme, but never a heavy message. And, it makes you cry! When I was at the movie theater, my sister (age 11) cried, I cried...even my father cried. It was that sincere and moving. You won't regret seeing this movie.
Let me explain the wide divergence of opinion about this movie-
posted on 20 May 2009I almost didn't go to this movie because of the number of poor reviews about it. But, because my 8-year-old loves dogs, we went. I'm so glad I did. It was very good. But I understand why some people don't like it.The theme of this movie is "Sweet and Sad", which is revealed by the reaction to the candy that the little girl receives and gives away to others.Like all good movies, the story takes place on multiple levels for multiple audiences - but not all audiences. To illustrate, my 8-year-old loved it, my 15-year old was mildly amused, but my wife and I were surprised by how good it was. It was written for children under 13, and their parents or grandparents over 35. It was warm, funny, sad, sometimes deep in its treatment of human sin and suffering, and surprisingly spiritual. Hollywood movie critics won't understand it and won't like it. The movie doesn't try to impress them. It will do better on the home DVD release than it will in the theaters.Those who won't like this movie are people ... - expecting violence, special effects, or juvenile humor - with a short attention span - between 13 and 34 who've never suffered, or don't want to face their suffering - who've never left an urban environment - with extreme/rigid left-wing (or perhaps right-wing) political agendasThat cuts out half the population. The rest of you will probably enjoy it.The story takes place in a small southern town that has seen better days. A large hairy lonely dog finds a little girl with no friends and a deeply flawed preacher father. The dog helps her find friends in the strangest places. Her friends, as well as her father, are sad and lonely people with pasts they try to forget. Together, the girl and the dog help their friends to find one another, and find the love and peace that comes from sharing their sadness and joy.Kids will love the movie because of the animal antics (especially the pet shop), and from seeing the world through a child's eyes. Kids and adults who've experienced loss and sadness may perhaps some answers in the simple wisdom of this movie. It's unapologetic of its use of spiritual themes, without judgement, condescension, or propaganda. It refreshingly shows how God through relationships heals the scarred and lonely - without talking about God.At the same time, it succeeds in being a movie that my 8-year-old boy likes. At the end he said, "We've gotta get the DVD!"
cute story about a girl and her dog
posted on 15 May 2009I bought this movie for my elderly mother, who likes "family" movies--esp. when there are animals involved. We watched it together. She fell asleep. I watched the whole thing, and it isn't terrible, but it also isn't terribly good, either. (Granted, mom does sleep a lot, but this fun yet forgetable flick isn't one to grab and keep one's attention.)
Annasophia Robb as Opal, the main character, is very cute, but not very convincing in her role. Winn Dixie, the other lead actor, is not all that cute (in my opinion), but is a capable actor. He is quite convincing in his role as a dog, I might add. Opal names the shaggy, lovable mut Winn-Dixie, after the name of the grocery store where she finds him as a stray reeking havoc in the produce section. She goes through the usual troubles that a kid has convincing her parent that she be allowed to keep him.
Opal has recently moved to a small town where she lives with her effete father in a trailer home, and where her dad is "The Preacher". Dad is a kindly, if weak, person who is stuck in the sorrow he still suffers because his wife has left them several years ago. Opal tries to understand about her mother. She also tries to make friends, which turns out to be difficult, but interesting. This lonely girl just MUST be able to keep the dog, Winn-Dixie; he's a girls best friend. Her only friend at first, really.
In the course of the show, the assorted figures of the town, each with his own life "story", are touched and ultimately brought together because of Winn-Dixie. My favorite figure is the blind, reclusive Gloria brilliantly played by Cicely Tyson. People (the Dewberry brothers, for instance) fear the eccentric elderly woman, but once they get to know her, they find out that she is both friendly and wise. Don't expect everything in this story to make a lot of sense. But it's OK if you are just looking for light diversion.
You might also enjoy the even better family movie featuring a girl and her pet is "Dreamer", with Dakota Fanning as a little girl who never gives up on her injured racehorse, Sonador. I know that my mom likes that one. Also, I'm going to read to her Kate DiCamilo's award-winning children's book "Winn Dixie" which the movie is based on. I'll let you know what we think of it.
Cheers.
Nice little adaptation of the book
posted on 15 May 2009I'm weird about great books being turned into movies. While I consider "Winn-Dixie" to be one of those stories better left as a film, it still turned out truly darling. Anna-Sophia Robb is a cute and talented little actress (and I must say how impressed I am about the path her career is goin) and she is able to pull off the character of the precocious and adorable India Opal. Still, as great as the cast is, the story is a little awkward on film--what is sweet on paper needs to be careful about the cheesy line on the big screen. I'm a little reluctant to recommend this to fans of the books just because this movie could go either way of opinion. But, for all it's worth, I liked it and thought it was a decent tribute to the great book.
Winn-Dixie will smile his way into your heart, and leave an impression on you for years to come
posted on 03 May 2009Ten-year-old India Opal "Opal" (AnnaSophia Robb) moved to a small town in Florida in an attempt to please her father, the Preacher (Jeff Daniels), but she could never truly think of the place as home. Maybe it's because she has no friends in the new town, or maybe it's because she keeps thinking about her mother. The one who abandoned her when she was just 3-years-old. But that all changes one day when she steps into the local Winn-Dixie Grocery Store to pick up a box of macaroni and cheese, a bag of rice, and three tomatoes. For while she's browsing through the produce section, Opal sees a large dog run by, and soon the entire store is in an uproar as they try to catch the pesky intruder. When Opal finds out that they plan on sending the poor pooch to the pound, she announces that he's her dog, and soon, that's just what he is. Christened Winn-Dixie, Opal is soon spending each and every day with the lovable pup, and before she knows it, she's made many friends, all thanks to the fact that Winn-Dixie opens the door for her to meet new people - no matter how different they are.
BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE is one of my favorite books. It always has been, and always will be. Which is why I knew that I needed to own a copy of this film, even before I saw it. AnnaSophia Robb (SAMANTHA: AN AMERICAN GIRL HOLIDAY and CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY) is outstanding as the girl who wants nothing more than a friend; while Jeff Daniels (CHEATERS and THE GOODBYE GIRL) couldn't be more amazing as the sullen Preacher, who does what he can to ensure a happy life for Opal. Though the person who steals the show - other than Winn-Dixie - is Dave Matthews (WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS) who is absolutely wonderful as the town loner, Otis, who is keeping a secret. With fabulous appearances by Harland Williams (KART RACER and FREDDY GOT FINGERED) as the goofy police officer; and Cicely Tyson (THE ROSA PARKS STORY and MS. SCROOGE) as Gloria, a profound blind woman who can teach anyone a lesson with words; as well as an appearance by Elle Fanning (THE DOOR IN THE FLOOR and DADDY DAY CARE) as the adorable Sweetie Pie Thomas. WINN-DIXIE will smile his way into your heart, and leave an impression on you for years to come.
Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper
Heartwarming
posted on 01 May 2009This was a heartwarming story about a girl named India Opal and one day her father sends her to The Winne Dixie grocery store to buy food.
Opal stops and she a homeless dog jumping on the owner.
The owner and everybody else wants to send him to the pound.
Opal dosn't want the owner to take the dog to the pound so she says "Wait that's my dog"
But it's not really her dog.
When the people at the store order Opal to call the dog Opal tries to think of a name fast.
Since she was in the Winne Dixie grocery store.
Opal asked her father if she can keep him but her father says no.
To Be Countuied
Like drinking ten pounds of old syrup. And then throwing up.
posted on 28 Apr 2009I re-read the book shortly before I saw the movie. It is quite a good book, and I recommend It to everyone, even if you disliked the movie.I went to see it with high hopes because earlier that day I had read that the author liked it. It started out just fine, with Opal playing catch (with herself) with a nice song in the background by the Be Good Tonyas, then she goes to Winn-Dixie. A dog is running around and jumps on the Manger, who cries. Opal says that the dog is called Winn-Dixie, and rescues it from the pound. They leave and the Manager says "That dog almost licked mah face off!" This marks the end of the whimsical and original feel of the film, and it screeches into Stereotypical Kiddie Lane.Opal gets a job at the pet store run by Otis, played by Dave Matthews who did very well, and meets Sweetie-Pie Thomas. She also has to deal with the landlord, who keeps threatening to send Dixie to the pound, befriends Miss Franny, Gloria Dump, and that pinch-nosed Amanda Wilkinson, has many sweet and fedjucational(fun educational) adventures that quite reminding me of "The Littlest Elf" from the Lemony Snicket books.But there is one good thing about this movie: the music. It is simple and pretty and goes along perfectly with the book.Save the sap, guys. 3 out of 10.
Great family movie
posted on 26 Apr 2009This movie starts a little slow, I only went to see it because Dave Matthews is in it...it starts slow yes, but it has it's moments, good moments, funny moments. I think there are a lot of lessons in this movie and that makes it a great movie to go see with the kids...only one or two cuss words, not bad ones either!! I think if nothing else, the kids will enjoy the dog in this movie. I enjoyed seeing the dog because his actions reminded me of my own puppy. I can't wait to see other Annasohpia Robb movies.. she's a good little actress and adorable, very adorable...Dave was good too (I also liked him in "Where the Red FernGrows"). I've always enjoyed Jeff Daniels in movies and he didn't let me down in this one either.
A dog story that will make you smile
posted on 26 Apr 2009Opal (AnnaSophia Robb), is a 10-year-old girl who has just moved to a small town in Florida with her preacher father (Jeff Daniels). The move has caused Opal to lose all her friends, and now she must start all over again. Life has been a little tough for Opal, since her mother abandoned them when she was three. Opal's father asks her to pick up a few items for dinner at the Winn-Dixie supermarket. While in the store, a big dog is running loose in the store with clerks chasing after him. The store manager wants to call the dog pound, but Opal says that the dog is hers, and his name is Winn-Dixie. Opal take the dog home, and must convince her father to keep the dog. He agrees to keep the dog temporarily, until a new owner can be found. They go around town putting up posters of the dog, and later in the day Opal goes around and takes the posters down, because she secretly wants to keep the dog. Opal discovers that Winn-Dixie is able to make friends with everyone he meets, and now Opal has some new friends, because of Winn-Dixie. This is a good heartfelt story of the bond between a little girl and her dog. The story shows that a dog can bring happiness to a lonely girl and open up hearts of the people in town. I don't know how they did it, but the dog can actually smile. You can take your children to see this touching story. (20th Century Fox, Run time 1:46, Rated PG) (7/10)
Sentimental pap leavened by therapeutic baloney
posted on 29 Aug 2009In the best books and movies for kids, the author or filmmaker manages to transcend his or her adult perspective and show the world through a child's eyes. Most books and films do the opposite: they use a child as a mouthpiece to express the author's pieties about the world. That's what happens here, where 10-year-old India Opal Baloney (a superbly trite name, that) discovers such gems as "everyone's gotta find his own way through life," and "you have to keep the ghosts of the bad things you've done at bay," and "we're all basically swell deep down and should just get together and sing songs--kumbaya, preferably--and eat egg salad sandwiches." And don't drink (liquor) because that's what made momma hit the road, that and Dad's utter fecklessness.
Excellent cast of stock characters in this one, too (if you're still reading). Jeff Daniels plays the spine-of-jellyfish store-front preacher--a well-deserved fate given his apparent lack of ability. Cicely Tyson plays a younger version of her Miss Jane Pittman character, the Noble Black Woman Who Has Seen It All--er, until she went blind (making her even more noble). Dave Matthews plays the quiet musician (hey, just like in real life!) just out of prison for breaking his guitar over the head of a policeman. Hey, it was all just a misunderstanding because, see above, there are no bad people...now all join hands for kumbaya. Anyway, he loves animals and brings a big jar of pickles to a party, so he must be cool. The girl (India) is played as a cross between a saint and a sage...she grows tedious.
Oh yeah, the dog, Windex (what my daughter thought he was called). He has a great scene where he burps, loudly, like a human. I laughed at that. (My wife chimes in: "The dog was adorable!")
Virtually every Amazon reviewer seems to love this movie because it's a "family" movie--virtually no cussing and no sex. Fine; I'm all for that too. But movies without those things don't automatically become good--you need decent writing and acting, too. Contrast this 100 minutes of we-are-the-world sentiment with, say, Anne of Green Gables (book and TV series) or the novels of Christopher Paul Curtis (Bud, Not Buddy; The Watsons Go to Birmingham), where the authors actually get inside their young characters' heads and present a real world of humor, conflict, and perseverance. Because of Winn Dixie I wasted a Saturday night.