Matilda Lawler

Alyson Hannigan

Ben Schwartz

Benjamin Evan Ainsworth

Danny Pudi

Darien Martin

Anna Deavere Smith

Bobby Moynihan

John Kassir

Nancy Robertson

Janeane Garofalo

Kate Micucci

Christine Lee

Jesse Reid

Javier Lacroix

David Milchard

Kyle Strauts

Tori Katongo

Emma Oliver

Arkie Kandola

Arran Henn

Henry Mah

Malaika Jackson

Shawn Robidoux

Kate DiCamillo

Carolyn Yonge

Simon Chin

Rhona Rees

Craig Haas

Alex Kliner

Tracy Chow

Owen Walstrom

Peter Steffan

Joanna Mireau

Cassandra Ebner

Wakako Sekine

Gregg Brilliant

Gil Netter

Lena Khan

Katterli Frauenfelder

Brad Copeland

Andrew Dunn

Michael Fitzgerald

Jamie Gross

Mona May

Jake Monaco

Zachary Dawes

Emily Schweber

Daryl Sawchuk

David Feinsilber

Michael Diner

Gwendolyn Margetson

Andrew Li

Zoe Jirik

Connie Parker

Sanna Seppanen

Mark Noda

Leslie Rodier

Matt Todaro

Aaron Glascock

Tony Lazarowich

Jon Mooney

Nicolas Chevallier

Massimo Meo

Thiago Lima Martins

Laurent Laban

Therese Skundberg Fidje

Bryan Godwin

Tyler Marino

William Barkus

Joel P. West

Sheen Wei Yap

Family

Adventure

Comedy

Fantasy

Flora & Ulysses

Walt Disney Pictures

Netter Productions

United States of America

English

based on novel or book

squirrel

duringcreditsstinger

Bit of a waste, in the end.

<em>'Flora & Ulysses'</em> isn't a bad watch, but it doesn't utilise a cool premise or a strong showing from youngster Matilda Lawler. The latter fairly impressed me, especially early on. Behind her, Ben Schwartz is OK and Alyson Hannigan is, as seemingly always, likeable.

Given how interesting the concept is, the film barely even touches on Ulysses' abilities - when they do, e.g. at the diner, then it is actually nicely created with the effects, slow motion et al. Instead they focus on a familial story, which didn't intrigue me whatsoever. I did like the comic book onscreen graphics, mind.

Perhaps others will find enjoyment with this, fair enough if so. For me, though, it's average and forgettable.

Louisa Moore - Screen Zealots

Disney has taken Kate DiCamillo’s 2013 Newbery Award-winning book “Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures” and made it into a second-rate movie (shortened to “Flora & Ulysses”) that will only appeal to kids who have pretty low standards. There’s a cute little girl (Matilda Lawler), a fuzzy squirrel (created from choppy CGI), and a story that throws in a handful of positive life lessons, but the slapdash action scenes, dumb pratfalls, and dull storytelling combine to form a family film with an unredeemable lack of magic.

Flora (Lawler) is an avid comic book fan and cynic, who is having trouble dealing with the fact that her parents (Alyson Hannigan, Ben Schwartz) have recently separated. One day, the 10-year-old girl saves a squirrel who has been sucked into a vacuum cleaner. Flora names her rescued pal Ulysses after she discovers he possesses superhero powers (and can write poetry). The duo go on a series of adventures while avoiding an animal control officer (Danny Pudi) who wants to capture and kill the potentially rabid squirrel.

The film feels like a dated Disney flick, with a simple message that relies heavily on mom and dad style humor. There is a good theme of what being a “true hero” means wrapped up with a couple of platitudes about the importance of family, but the more positive ideas seem buried under the lifeless action scenes (and dopey slow motion) that makes the project barely rise above the lowest quality t.v. movie.

There can’t be an unhappy ending of course, so Ulysses helps Flora fix the broken elements in her life. The little girl hopes her estranged parents will get back together and that her mom will be able to rise above her writer’s block. She wishes humans would treat animals better too, and thankfully her new squirrel buddy convinces most of them that he’s worth saving.

If you or your kids really like squirrels, are very bored, and are easily entertained, then “Flora and Ulysses” may be good enough for family movie night. The film starts out really rough and despite a mild improvement about halfway through, it never gets over the hump of mediocrity.

Flora & Ulysses( 2021)

No tights. No cape. No problem.

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A review by r96sk

Written by r96sk on Tue Feb 23 2021

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