Kit Kittredge: An American Girl

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Kit Kittredge: An American Girl

G

2008

1h 40m

Kids & Family

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

80%

Tomatometer

106 Reviews

69%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Kit Kittredge (Abigail Breslin), a girl growing up in Depression-era Cincinnati, has a nose for news and a knack for picking up strays. When a crime spree hits the Ohio city, all evidence points to the local hobo community, particularly Kit's friend Will. She recruits her friends Ruthie and Stirling to sniff out the real thief, but the children uncover a plot that reaches far beyond Cincinnati.

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Critics Consensus

Refreshingly sweet and sincere, Kit's doll-and-book-inspired do-good mystery may be geared towards the tween girl but will please audiences of all ages.

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Tim Grierson

Screen International

Emotionally affecting but dramatically wobbly, "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl" touchingly illustrates the sting of poverty without overly resorting to childish shenanigans.

Rated: 3/4

Jul 22, 2008

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Amy Nicholson

I.E. Weekly

It's hard to dislike a tween picture that opens with Eleanor Roosevelt, but if explaining mortgage meltdowns to their tots doesn't sent parents screaming, the performances will.

Rated: B-

Jul 4, 2008

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Lisa Schwarzbaum

Entertainment Weekly

A gently thoughtful, audience-appropriate entertainment that assembles swell actors to play colorful characters who don't shy away from depicting serious hard times.

Rated: B+

Jul 3, 2008

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

For its first two-thirds, the movie unexpectedly registers as a mature and intelligent drama -- in this case, the G rating stands for Grown-ups as much as it stands for General Audiences.

Rated: 3/4

Jul 15, 2025

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Marya E. Gates

Cool People Have Feelings, Too. (Substack)

[Takes] a story based on an IP (the American Girl dolls, which I confess I know very little about) and [turns] it into a strident socialist manifesto.

Apr 21, 2024

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

This first full-length film inspired by the American Girl doll series may very well become an American classic to delight young children for years to come.

Rated: 3.5/4.0

Sep 13, 2020

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Stephen C

Funny in 1 hour and 40 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $17,700,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/29/25

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Audience Member

Remember taking my mom to the movies to see this as a little girl. Lol adorable little movie. I just remember enjoying it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/23/18

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Audience Member

I was surprised that I liked this movie at all - I've watched several of the American Girl films with my elementary-age daughter, and mostly they are more after-school-special than traditional film. This one is different. Not only does it have a lot more humor, but it has a lot of sad moments - especially considering the historical setting near the end of the Great Depression. It gave me a chance to explain a little bit of the history of America to my own American girl, which was kind of cool.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

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Audience Member

must see for daughter

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

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Audience Member

"Kit Kittredge" has a giddy and energetic tone that allows its mystery plot to be engaging and pleasing, while presenting its themes regarding the Great Depression with sensitivity and no sappiness.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

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Audience Member

I love this movie, Growing up I had most of the American Girl dolls and Kit was always my favorite. So when the movie came out and my favorite actress was in it I knew i had to see it. Abigail didn't disappoint me at all

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

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Patricia Rozema

Director

Abigail Breslin

Kit Kittredge

Joan Cusack

Miss Bond

Jane Krakowski

Miss Dooley

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Chris O'Donnell

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Synopsis

Kit Kittredge (Abigail Breslin), a girl growing up in Depression-era Cincinnati, has a nose for news and a knack for picking up strays. When a crime spree hits the Ohio city, all evidence points to the local hobo community, particularly Kit's friend Will. She recruits her friends Ruthie and Stirling to sniff out the real thief, but the children uncover a plot that reaches far beyond Cincinnati.

Director: Patricia Rozema
Producer: Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Ellen L. Brothers, Lisa Roberts Gillan, Julie Goldstein
Screenwriter: Ann Peacock
Distributor: Picturehouse
Production Co: New Line Cinema, HBO Films
Rating: G
Genre: Kids & Family, Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 2, 2008, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 8, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $17.7M
Runtime: 1h 40m

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