A red balloon follows 7-year-old Simon around Paris as his puppeteer mother (Juliette Binoche) becomes absorbed in her upcoming show and he gets a new nanny named Song.
Parents may be excited about taking their children to see this tribute to the 1956 Academy Award-winning classic short, "The Red Balloon," but would probably be better off simply renting the original. The fact that this French film is subtitled already makes it iffy for kids but its almost two-hour running time and non-existent plot should send families running to another theater. There are long scenes of the balloon floating in the sky that will have tweens either appreciatively admiring director Hou Hsiao Hsien's cinematic style or taking a very expensive nap.
This movie is intended for older children.
This movie is intended for older children.
This movie is intended for older children.
Most tweens won't have the patience to sit through two hours of subtitles, especially when the story itself won't interest them enough to want to keep reading. Twelve-year-olds with a passion for film may enjoy following the balloon's flight and coming up with their own interpretation of the movie.
