A Film Directed by Stéphane Aubier, Vincent Patar, and Benjamin Renner.

I was a bit under the weather today, and in deciding that I needed to do something more productive than sleep, I ended up watching some movies while I rested. I actually had tickets to see the sequel to the topic of this review in theaters, but since I was no longer planning to go out and had not seen the first Ernest & Celestine, I figured that today was the day. Maybe the sequel Ernest & Celestine: a Trip to Gibbertia will still be in theaters by next weekend? My fingers are crossed! My immediate first impressions are that Ernest & Celestine is a delightful animated film with a heartwarming story, endearing characters, and unique animation style. Directed by Stéphane Aubier, Vincent Patar, and Benjamin Renner, this 2012 French-Belgian film is an adaptation of Gabrielle Vincent’s beloved children’s books.

Both Films have been released in the United States through a company called GKIDS. GKIDS has slowly become my go-to animation company as they seem to curate some of the best quality products coming out all over the world. I especially love the fact that most of their products are getting released theatrically, with them almost single-handedly accounting for me getting back into going to theaters this year! If you want to see more GKIDS material that I’ve reviewed, click HERE.

“Deep below snowy, cobblestone streets, tucked away in networks of winding subterranean tunnels, lives a civilization of hardworking mice, terrified of the bears who live above ground. Unlike her fellow mice, Celestine is an artist and a dreamer – and when she nearly ends up as breakfast for ursine troubadour Ernest, the two form an unlikely bond. But it isn’t long before their friendship is put on trial by their respective bear-fearing and mice-eating communities. Based on the classic Belgian book series by Gabrielle Vincent, Ernest & Celestine won France’s César Award for Best Animated Feature, and has been nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 86th Academy Awards”

Ernest & Celestine revolves around the unlikely friendship between two central characters, Ernest, a bear, and Celestine, a mouse, who live in a world where bears live above ground and mice live below. It is assumed that the two will not co-mingle and as such both have created legends on how evil the others are. Mice learn from a young age that Bears will eat anything they see, especially young mice, and bears seem to only see mice as a nuisance that will eat everything bears own and multiply endlessly. Both characters have some of these prejudices towards each other, but as they grow to bind and trust one-another they realize that they are no different from each other in any way.

The story of Ernest & Celestine beautifully explores the themes of friendship, acceptance, and the breaking of societal norms as these two characters form a bond that defies convention. In a current world where the media and politicians love to stoke the fires of division and hatred, a movie like this goes a long way to subtly call that sort of mindset out. The animation style, resembling watercolors, gives the film a distinct and charming appearance, evoking a sense of nostalgia and warmth. The simplicity of the animation contrasts with the depth of emotions conveyed by the characters, making it visually captivating and emotionally resonant.

Both Ernest and Celestine are wonderfully developed characters. Ernest, the gruff and somewhat grumpy bear, and Celestine, the plucky and artistic mouse, are both endearing in their own right. Their personalities complement each other, and their interactions are filled with humor and heart. The film’s supporting cast of characters, including the mouse authorities and the bear community, adds depth to the story and humor to the narrative.

I especially loved a family of bears that frequently pop up throughout the film. The parents have turned their jobs into a money making scheme – the father works as a candy shop owner, and the mother works as a dentist. Their plan is to rot the teeth of everyone in the area to hike up huge bills for dental care!

It is ideas like that and the weird notion that mice harvest teeth from young children losing teeth (like the tooth fairy) to use for their own dental industry that set this film apart from similar message-based films. There’s just enough oddball humor to make this a fun romp versus some preachy film yelling at its audience.

Ernest & Celestine carries a powerful message about the importance of friendship, empathy, and breaking down prejudices. It encourages viewers, both young and old, to look beyond appearances and societal norms to find genuine connections with others. The film also explores societal pressure on people that do not want to fit into the mold of normality being cast out as being “wrong”. Ernest comes from a long line of bears that became judges, and he had no desire to also be a judge. His passion lies with music and feels like his ability to express himself was being stifled by his family. As a result, he ran away from home, became somewhat of a vagrant and now lives alone in a leaky shack in the woods.

Celestine is in a similar situation as she appears to be part of some sort of boarding school that trains young mice in dentistry, but wants to explore her passions in art. There just isn’t room for artistic mice in her city, especially not ones that want to draw pictures of bears! By the end of the film, both parts of the city realize how awful they were being as they nearly kill the two unlikely friends due to their relationship, with a new outlook on life moving forward. Us, as humans, can learn a lot from the previously bigoted animals in this film.

In conclusion, Ernest & Celestine is a heartwarming and visually charming animated film that will captivate young and old with its touching story and memorable characters. Its unique watercolor-esque animation style sets it apart from other animated films, and it has just enough off-the-wall humor for somebody looking for a quirky European film to watch. If you’re looking for a feel-good movie that will leave you with a smile on your face, 2012’s Ernest & Celestine is an excellent choice. I ended up renting it on Amazon, but I’m sure it can be found elsewhere.