A Bailarina

Watch the first ten minutes and tell me this isn't a rip off of Anastasia! Red headed orphan girl with male orphan friend escapes off to Paris and all she has is a music box from her mother....? Obviously the story then transitions into one about dance and following your dreams (wonderful idea and one I had so much hope for), but the horribly matched voice acting, the teeny bopper music in place of classical ballet music... so many simple things that could've made this movie so much better.

Im a huge fan for animation, I heard about this movie and didn't really know what to expect. What I got was a beautiful movie with the positive messages of chasing your dreams and never giving up on them no matter how hard things may seem.

I do kinda wish the subplot of victor could have tied in more with the main focus of Felicie but it is what it is, I ain't complaining.

Finally, It was hilarious and very charming too. Perfect for families. Enjoy the movie!

I have no idea why they started the film as they did. The starting scene is just nothing new, childish, and makes the film seem for younger audiences. I suspect that someone told them they needed to start with an exciting scene with lots of action, so this is what happened... Nevermind the beginning, once the kids get to Paris things start to shape up and an actual narrative emerges. Nothing too revolutionary here, in terms of story or plot, but solid work.

It's late 19th century. Felicie (Elle Fanning) and Victor (Dane DeHaan) are best friends at an orphanage. She dreams of dancing and he helps her escape to Paris. She finds her way to the National Academy of Music and is taken in by crippled caretaker Odette (Carly Rae Jepsen). Cruel Regine runs the ballet school and Camille (Maddie Ziegler) is a snooty aggressive little girl trying to be a ballerina. Felicie steals Camille's invitation to Mérante's class who is picking the new Clara in The Nutcracker. Victor tells her that he's working for Eiffel who is busy building his tower and the Statue of Liberty.

The animation is functional. This Canadian-French production is equivalent to Illumination Entertainment level. It's fine but not anything ground breaking. The characters are fine. There are the plucky kids against great odds and villains and other archetypes. The story is also fine but a few changes would have helped. Felicie stealing the letter is probably the main mistake. It puts her on the wrong side and lets Camille off the hook. Camille should be bullying the other girls to force them out. Felicie can still learn from Odette and Mérante can simply invite her into the class after the tavern dance. The plot can arrive at the same place without compromising Felicie. It's also off when she sleeps through her audition putting her at fault once again. The dance off is actually quite exhilarating but the climaxing gets a second unnecessary trip around. A Hollywood studio would make everybody an animal and this would probably sell a lot better. Sing is not much better and it made over $600 million. Non-Hollywood doesn't have the formula yet. They don't know how to market and make a modern family-oriented animated movie.

Ballerina is a great french-Canadian animation film about 2 waifs who escape their orphanage and go to Paris to reach their dreams & never give up, Félicie (Elle Fanning) with a passion a natural talent for dance & Victor (Dane Dehaan) an inventor. Beautiful music, landscapes & sceneries, a Belle Époque tale that involves the construction of the Eiffel Tower & the Statue of Liberty. A kindly maid & a distinguished professor manage her to succeed. A movie for the whole family.