The Tooth Fairy Story Film Analysis: Cartoon Journey with a Sprinkling of Kid-Appropriate Preteen Love Story

In this animated journey aimed at tweens, the world of fairies is dedicated to collecting teeth from slumbering children and leaving gold under their pillows. Skateboarding youthful nonconformist fairy Van (brought to life by Booboo Stewart) is less than thrilled about devoting his life to collecting baby teeth—a feeling that’s completely understandable. He is just a bit more interested in the underlying economics behind it all: the fairies deliver the teeth to mysterious goblins, who provide metal as payment. But Van’s curiosity grows when he catches sight of a goblin (voiced by Larkin Bell), who turns out to be far from the ugly gnome he had imagined.

A Forbidden Bond and Common Enemy

Everything is prepared for an exciting quest with a gentle touch of teen romance (even though it remains very much suitable for children). The goblin and fairy groups are estranged from one another, and there’s nothing like the excitement of secrecy to bring people together. The two species as seen here are remarkably alike, yet each holds prejudiced beliefs about the other. Fairies are supposed to be self-centered sorts, given to taking whatever they fancy, while goblins are reportedly dim-witted, foul-smelling, and primitive, but are actually intelligent and technologically advanced.

Of course, this scenario needs a shared foe to unite against, and that need is met in the form of a group of vicious spiders, voiced by Jon Lovitz and Fran Drescher. There’s no beating about the bush with these guys: they aim to devour the goblins and fairies, and they make for quite savage, though not particularly skilled, villains.

Ideal Viewers and Overall Impression

You won’t find all that many animated films aimed at the viewer group that is starting to experience early romances, but are not old enough for whatever 14-year-olds are watching instead of Twilight. Should your youngster is in the right age bracket, this is unlikely to become their new favorite movie, but you could do worse.

The Tooth Fairy Story releases in Scottish cinemas from 10 October and the rest of the UK from 24 October.