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Even so, this is a sweet film, laced with magic realism—especially where Otis's pacifying effect on the animals, or Miss Franny's stash of sorrow-inducing lozenges, are concerned—and it tackles some rather dark themes in a way that is perfectly appropriate for young children. Director Wayne Wang (Smoke) may be new to the family genre, but he knows how to create empathy for his characters, and he has a stunning new star in Robb. This is the sort of role that might have gone to Dakota Fanning (whose kid sister Elle has a small part here), before she moved to the big leagues, but Robb has a bright charisma all her own.

Talk About It

1. Opal tells Gloria, "You're not a bad person," and Gloria replies, "Doesn't mean I didn't do bad things." How do these characters deal with the bad things they've done? Does the film encourage us to separate the people from the things they do? If so, how?
   
   
2. Why do you think Opal's mother "hated being a preacher's wife"? Do you think Opal hates being a preacher's daughter? Should the preacher be doing anything differently to balance his duties as a father with his duties as a preacher? If so, what?
   
   
3. Gloria says "the most important thing" in life is "different for everyone." Do you agree? If God is ultimately the most important thing in life, is it still possible that he could have a different "most important thing" in mind for each of us?
   
   
4. In what ways is Winn-Dixie like a Christ figure? In what ways is he not?

The Family Corner

Because of Winn-Dixie is rated PG for thematic elements and brief mild language. Characters discuss alcoholism, divorce, war and the troubles they have had with the law, but in a way that children, like Opal, can deal with it on their own level. There are also the obligatory scenes of an animal belching and a man stepping in dog poop.

Photos © Copyright 20th Century Fox

Kate DiCamillo is becoming one of the most celebrated authors of children's literature working today. Her latest work, The Tale of Despereaux—an enchanting, delightful fairy tale about a mouse, a rat, and a princess—is being adapted by the animators who gave us The Triplets of Belleville. But currently, director Wayne Wang's adaptation of her Newberry award-winning novel Because of Winn-Dixie has Christian film critics cheering—not just for the story, but also for the performance of newcomer AnnaSophia Robb.

Peter T. Chattaway (Christianity Today Movies) raves, "Because of Winn-Dixie is quite possibly the best movie yet from Walden Media, the company created by Christian billionaire Philip Anschutz for the express purpose of making film adaptations of acclaimed children's books like Holes and I Am David. And while the world waits with breathless anticipation to see how Walden's upcoming adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe turns out, Because of Winn-Dixie may be their most 'Christian' effort to date."

Chattaway goes on to detail several points that "seem to be, at the very least, influenced by the narrative thrust of the Gospels." And he concludes, "Wang may be new to the family genre, but he knows how to create empathy for his characters, and he has a stunning new star in Robb."

Michael Elliott (Movie Parables) says, "Wang captures the small Southern town feel of the book giving life to the quirky characters and setting a general air of nostalgia over the production. Best of all, Wang and screenwriter Joan Singleton avoid the obvious pitfall of most dog movies by not making the dog smarter or wiser than any animal has ever been. Winn Dixie is simply a dog doing the things that dogs do … which is why we love them."

Steven D. Greydanus (Decent Films) says it's "a good family film frequently verging on being an excellent one, and is quite a bit better than the dog-movie clichés the trailers suggest. [It] addresses some tough themes, including broken families and alcoholism, in a way that is accessible to children and never inappropriate even for the youngest. Although the film is seldom preachy, its themes of community and healing are framed in a Christian cultural milieu defined above all by the Preacher, a rare sympathetic clergyman. Winn-Dixie is both sweet and sad, a blend that does the heart good."

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AnnaSophia Robb, who plays the young girl in Because of Winn-Dixie, says her character just wanted to love and be loved. Leave it to an orphaned dog to show her how.