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      The Borrowers

      PG Released Feb 13, 1998 1 hr. 27 min. Kids & Family Fantasy List
      75% 28 Reviews Tomatometer 49% 25,000+ Ratings Audience Score Children's author Mary Norton's storybook creations, the four-inch-tall family of "borrowers" who live among humans and co-op their possessions. When a crooked lawyer (John Goodman) takes over the Lender family's house, he's got to reckon with the borrowers therein, who launch a campaign to oust the invader and restore the home to its rightful tenants. Read More Read Less Watch on Fandango at Home Premiered Feb 06 Buy Now

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      The Borrowers

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      Critics Consensus

      Rousing and inventive, The Borrowers is a delightfully spirited children's adventure.

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      Audience Reviews

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      Landon S I didn't finish it cause I had to go to a hair appointment I only had like 20 minutes left and I didn't care to finish it when I got back I just wanted to watch horror movies Rated 3 out of 5 stars 04/05/24 Full Review Rami A Is it cheesy? Yes. Is it silly? Yes. Does any of that matter? No. The film is supposed to be lighthearted, silly and cheesy. John Goodman's performance was delight to watch. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 11/12/23 Full Review Rosana B Que fofura, um misto de "Querida encolhi as Crianças" com "Os Smufes" e igualmente fofo como ambos, miniaturas simpáticas e cativantes, com boas cenas de ação para agradar aos pequenos humaninhos de cá, bem gostosinho, bora caçar a versão remake de 2011 para degustar também… Fofissimo... Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Audience Member The Borrowers has the makings of a good movie. It has wonderfully eccentric production values, costume design and hairdos giving it a timeless storybook vibe, the actors deliver entertaining performances with sincere acting from the tiny family (you'd never guess that boy would grow up to become a pain in Harry Potter's backside for 7 years) and the "beans" being gloriously hammy and good effects (if not exactly a major step-forward in the 8 years that have passed since Honey, I Shrunk the Kids). But there's something off about it that made it hard for me to connect with it. Maybe it's the story being quite generic, maybe it's the jokes being bland and based off of Home Alone-style antics which I think had already become oversaturated back then, maybe it's the characters not really being that interesting; there's the annoying younger brother, the bratty, rebellious tween girl who later meets a boy who seems nice enough but also has that edge that I'm told girls look for in a guy (which is probably why I've been reluctant to form attachments with girls when all I do is complain about kids' movies on Rotten Tomatoes but I digress) and the bumbling, overprotective dad (then again, he is played by Jim Broadbent). The human family whose son knows that borrowers exist are also quite boring, if you ask me, compared to the more colorful cast of characters. I don't despise The Borrowers at all. I do think it has more effort put into it than any cookie-cutter live-action '90s family comedy but I really wasn't as entertained as I was hoping I'd be. It's just a slight cut above the rest...not that I'll be checking it out anytime soon (I don't feel prepared to fully enjoy Studio Ghibli movies) but I wonder if that Secret World of Arrietty anime movie does the source material on which this film is based on justice in a way this might have not. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Audience Member The funniest star is John Goodman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review steve d OK family film that improves on the books. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      The Borrowers

      The Clock family - Peagreen (TOM FELTON), Homilly (CELIA IMRIE), Pod (JIM BROADBENT) and Arriety (FLORA NEWBIGIN) behind bars. Homilly (CELIA IMRIE), Arriety (FLORA NEWBIGIN), Pod (JIM BROADBENT) and Spiller (RAYMOND PICKARD) face the nasty Ocious P. Potter. JOHN GOODMAN stars as the evil local lawyer, Ocious P. Potter. The Lender Family, Peter (BRADLEY PIERCE), Victoria (DOON MACKICHAN) and Joe (ADAN GILLETT). Ocious P. Potter (JOHN GOODMAN) says his final words to the Clock family. Arriety (FLORA NEWBIGIN) is captured by Peter Lender (BRADLEY PIERCE). Ocious P. Potter (JOHN GOODMAN) displays his unique extermination technique on Spiller (RAYMOND PICKARD). View more photos

      Critics Reviews

      View All (28) Critics Reviews
      Anthony Lane New Yorker Small world, huh? Feb 28, 2022 Full Review Lisa Schwarzbaum Entertainment Weekly Rated: A- Sep 7, 2011 Full Review Nell Minow Common Sense Media Charming screen adaptation of cute book. Rated: 4/5 Dec 28, 2010 Full Review Dan DiNicola The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY) A terrific family treat based on the novel by Mary Norton. Rated: A- Jan 19, 2023 Full Review Maria Garcia Film Journal International A cut above most family entertainment. Jan 3, 2007 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 2/5 Aug 26, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis Children's author Mary Norton's storybook creations, the four-inch-tall family of "borrowers" who live among humans and co-op their possessions. When a crooked lawyer (John Goodman) takes over the Lender family's house, he's got to reckon with the borrowers therein, who launch a campaign to oust the invader and restore the home to its rightful tenants.
      Director
      Peter Hewitt
      Executive Producer
      Walt deFaria
      Screenwriter
      Mary Norton, Gavin Scott, John Kamps
      Production Co
      PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
      Rating
      PG
      Genre
      Kids & Family, Fantasy
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Feb 13, 1998, Wide
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Sep 10, 2015
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $22.4M
      Sound Mix
      Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
      Aspect Ratio
      Flat (1.85:1)
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