Felicity: An American Girl Adventure

This second American Girl movie is every bit as charming as last year's Samantha: An American Girl Holiday. If you are interested in sitting down with your family and watching a handsomely made movie without having to worry about when the next bad word and inappropriate joke is going to come up (two things that plague much of the modern family fare), then this movie is just for you.

We are taken back to 1775 Virginia, when the Revolutionary War is on the brink, and tension between Patriots and Loyalists is mounting. As it is with all the American Girl stories, these historic events are seen through the eyes of a young girl, Felicity, who is tired of having to be proper and longs to be independent. She falls in love with a wild horse owned by a cruel farmer, befriends Loyalist Elizabeth Cole, and most importantly, learns what it means to have courage in a changing world.

As with Samantha, much of the movie is taken straight from the original American Girl stories, which is sure to delight young fans of Felicity and the American Girl Collection. But the stunning scenery, and lavish, authentic costumes, not to mention all the historical references, make it thoroughly entertaining for the grown-ups in the audience, as well.

The young stars of this movie are so good, they almost upstage the adults, although everybody does a nice job of combining sweetness with believability. Shailene Woodley does a fantastic job as Felicity, and Katie Henney gives Elizabeth Cole a nice British accent (Miss Henney is our tour guide through the American Girl Place on the Samantha DVD Special Features). And has anyone ever heard of Geza Kovacs? He makes quite a scene in the relatively minor role of the cruel Jiggy Nye.

Great family fun, and a truly enjoyable adventure!

"Felicity: An American Girl Adventure" is wonderful filmmaking, sure to capture the attention of anyone who appreciates historical drama with a human touch. This one is set in Williamsburg, Virginia, during the American Revolution, and the title character displays a tenacious heroism in her quest to do what is right, despite the threat of imminent danger. Felicity Merriman is beautifully played by Shailene Woodley. She is just perfect for the role, with an energetic screen presence, illuminated by a sweet smile that will steal your heart. Felicity's love for an abused horse teaches her, indirectly, how kindness to others can have a "ripple effect" for goodness and justice, no matter that the colonial world has erupted into rebellion. The direction is fluent but not overdone, cinematography is attractive, and acting is uniformly strong throughout the cast. In the interest of full disclosure, I should add that some of the period dialogue does not exactly roll off the lips in convincing fashion, and the special effect of snowfall looks awfully phony, but otherwise I bought this delightful production with no problem at all. You will be happy with this splendid film, which is funny, VERY touching at times, and ultimately inspirational.

In the 1770s, a 10-year old independent upper-class girl named Felicity (Shailene Woodley) is living in Williamsburg, Virginia and handling the many challenges life brings to her: taming a stubborn horse, taking care of the family when the mother is ill and choosing sides when tensions rise between the loyalists and the patriots in the American Revolution.

Like Samantha: An American Girl Holiday (the previous installment in the An American Girl series), the film is technically well created: the costumes, music, scenery and photography are all well above the average TV movie level. The story, however, is less diverse and the overwhelming righteousness of Felicity starts getting uninteresting soon. There are also some excruciatingly cheesy moments in the film. Even so, the target audience (young girls and their families) can expect to like the movie alright.

I was very impressed with this movie. Actually, I was a little surprised (now I feel ashamed to admit that!) that the American Girls movies are such quality films! So many books that are turned into movies made for TV and such are not very good (and not true to the books at all), for example, the Dear America series.

However, I personally was an avid American Girls fan when I was younger, and Felicity was my first doll and the first series I finished. I appreciated how much American Girls taught me about historical times from the eyes of young girls... perhaps they are not always completely historically accurate in the nitty-gritty details (as one user commented on the black lace on her dress and how Felicity has a non-family, apprentice as an escort), but I think the main ideas are present. She is an inspiring character, and always has been to me. I hope girls will appreciate this work of art as much as I did! However... as a warning to anyone who is a dedicated reader like I was... the movie's plot does not follow the books chronologically. All the important events are included in the movie, and nothing new is added, but things are diced up and mixed around. It confused me a little, but I understand it was for movie continuity. Anyone who has not read the book will not think twice about the sequence, and I'm sure even those who have will be able to forgive the writers!

This movie is great for little girls to watch, or for any girl who grew up with American Girl stories. It is a great story in a historical context which helps children understand how our country was born, as well as how girls lived at this time in history. SO family friendly- it has great morals and lessons for children to watch in a movie. Also helps girls to understand a little bit about the divisions that politics bring among people, and how we can love each other regardless of differing opinions. Could lead to some great discussions with your girls.

On the other side, the acting is occasionally predictably TV-movie cheesy...a few cringe-worthy sappy moments, and Felicity's intense love for a horse is uncomfortably obsessive. The best acting in the movie is from little Eulala Scheel, Marcia Gay Harden's (who also plays Mrs. Merriman) real-life daughter. She is adorable as Nan, Felicity's little sister. It is sweet to see such a great actress doing something so fun and memorable with her little girl. I would buy this on DVD for myself and to watch with my daughters in the future. Overall very enjoyable.