Felicity - Une jeune fille indépendante

In 1775 Williamsburg, Virginia, Felicity Merriman is turning 10 and learning to be a proper young lady, which is what girls did in those days. But Felicity longs to be so much more. And she gets several chances in this movie to make her world better, not just sit back and let the men and the grownups do everything.

Felicity's father, who runs a store, is a patriot who believes the colonies are being mistreated, but her grandfather who has a plantation near Yorktown, is loyal to the king, and the family gets into some disagreements over this. Felicity's best friend is Elizabeth, whose parents are loyalists. Elizabeth's uptight sister is Annabelle. Ben is an apprentice in the store, but he wants to join the fighting even though he is 15. Nan is Felicity's younger sister, and Rose is the family's black servant.

Felicity falls in love with a wild horse being mistreated by tanner Jiggy Nye, who was a nice man until he lost his wife. Felicity names the horse Penny.

Eventually, Felicity shows herself to be quite mature and quite capable of getting things done, improving the lives of those around her, and, by the film's end, showing what Christmas is really about.

This is a fine film for children of all ages with no offensive content. The acting seems a little uptight, but that's common for films depicting the Revolutionary War era. The story makes it clear that even a little girl can accomplish a great deal, though Felicity seems a little too heroic to be realistic.

Shailene Woodley does quite a good job as the film's hero. Marcia Gay Harden also impresses as the devoted but conservative mother. I also loved to hate Juliet Holland-Rose as Annabelle. Geza Kovacs shows a wide range as Jiggy Nye. I think everyone in a leading role does a good job.

The dancing looked quite good as well. I know nothing about the minuet or other dances of the time, but the choreography looked good to me.

If you're a little girl or anyone who likes warm holiday fare, this is the movie for you.

"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.

I just happened upon this movie last night on TV. And, I was pleasantly delighted by it. It was a nice, wholesome film that also had a great lesson in history. We're taught history in school, but what I've always enjoyed is knowing the "real life" parts of what happened. What were people doing at that time? What were their pastimes? How did they dress? How did they interact with each other on a daily basis? This movie was an example of that. It took a key time in American history (right before Revolutionary War) and explored the day-to-day lives of a family. That's what I love to know about.

I loved that this was a movie that the whole family could enjoy together. It's a refreshing change from what we usually see on TV and in the movies.

Please, Hollywood! More of these types of films! There IS a market for it out here!

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.