Watch Kids' Reviews of
MISPLACEMENT, THE

See Adult Comments

This film definitely stirs up our creativity! It was fun to let my imagination wander while watching the main characters, a grandfather and his grandson, play in the woods. The audience is encouraged to make up some great tales as to how the George Washington Christmas ornament ended up in the forest. This is a story about an anthropomorphic figurine that learns to cope with its adversary, a squirrel. The George Washington doll manages to avoid being trampled by a walrus by rolling out of the way at just the right time. Thus he picks up some survival skills after being dumped carelessly in the woods. The cinematography excels in this film as one scene fades into the next, giving the film a dream-like feel. At times, we see multiple images layered upon one another, like the deer that sneaks into a shot of the two people in the wooed. The production designer chose an effective set in the woods, using a live squirrel as the antagonist. A children's playground serves as an effective set to illustrate the grandfather's continuous urge to explore and seek adventure. There is a prominent lamp fixture, which lights up and later goes dark, to symbolize that life must be grabbed by the horns. There is no dialogue. Instead, it is narrated, which lends an additional layer of insight into what's going on inside George Washington's mind. My favorite part is how the grandfather gets his grandson so excited about finding a toy in the woods and how they create a story about how it landed up there. It's wonderful to see the power of storytelling being passed from one generation to the next. At some level, this film is really about the legacy that the grandfather is passing on to his young grandson, told with love and care. The message is that you can simply go outdoors to find great stimulation in life. It's not necessary to buy pre-packaged entertainment that can actually cramp our imaginations. I give this film 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 13 to 18, as well as adults. I really think that adults will respond to it better than children, but teens will "get" the message. Reviewed by Jeff M. and Julie S. KIDS FIRST! adult jurors

A grandfather takes his grandson on a walk through the woods and park. He tells him the story of the' Misplacement of George Washington' a story he had written for his wife 35 years earlier. There is also a message to all about the creative growth of children and what we leave behind when we, pass.