Monday Movie Review: Matilda

Matilda

Released: August 2, 1996

Studio: Sony Pictures

Run Time: 102 minutes

Source: Netflix Instant Play

Summary (amazon):

See the world from a kid's-eye view with Matilda, a modern fairytale that mixes hilarious humor with the magical message of love. Mrs. Doubtfire's Mara Wilson stars as Matilda, a super-smart little girl who's woefully misunderstood by her parents (Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman), her brother, and an evil school principal. But with the help of a brave best friend and a wonderful teacher, Matilda discovers she doesn't have to get mad to get even.

I vaguely recall watching this movie when I was younger, but the whole time I was watching it, everything looked so familiar! Has that ever happened to you guys?!

Matilda was a neglected child who came from a family that pretty much didn't even notice her, literally. Her dad was a faulty car sales man and her mother made a living playing Bingo. By the age of 2 she was left at home to fend for herself, which she enjoyed. Then she discovered the library. But of course, her family, being the family that they are, frowned on Matilda's hunger for knowledge and reading. After a few years, Matilda finally got to go to school (her parents were against her going to school as well). But it wasn't your typical school... the principal was horrible and disgusting and hated kids (I mean, I hate kids but she took it to a wholeeeeeeee other level)! However, Matilda's teacher was sweet and caring and loved the children in her class. 

So one night Matilda's dad punishes her saying "when people are bad, they deserved to be punished" (don't quote me on that) and this starts her crazy obsession with punishing "people". Her dad, her principal... but I have to admit, the principal thing was a pretty good one! And so the movie is basically about Matilda's journey with "punishing" people and learning about her powers. 

Poor Matilda, her parents didn't care about her from the get go. Which makes you wonder, why did they bother having more kids?! Did her mom really make a living playing Bingo? And what the heck was up with her brother the whole time? I thought it was funny that her dad (Danny DeVito) was the one who was doing the narration for the whole movie! And when her dad was going off about how reading books was stupid, I got a bit irritated and when he ripped up the book, I wanted to reach through the monitor and strangle him. Buttttttttt... that was just me :) haha.

I never read the book, but I didn't think her horrible principal was that bad in the book... words can't describe how horrible and disgusting that woman was! Ugh!