RedViper992 I stumbled across this film when I was looking for a good family film to watch. I read some of the reviews on here and figured, "hey, people are saying that this movie is legit. I should watch it". Big mistake on my part, I should have read the more critical reviews because I think that they hit the nail on the head. I started watching the movie and found that it moved super slowly and didn't develop the story much. And, it definitely didn't help that the acting was sub-par. I understand that the main actress is a young girl (I gave this film two stars which is more generous than I really thought was justified) but there was no real breakout performance by anyone. I liked Dave Matthews' performance but that was really it. To sum it all up, I really do not recommend this movie to anyone. Save yourself the boredom and find something to watch on you-tube instead of this flick.

don_johnson8 This movie is an allegory, a story with a larger story hidden in the plot. It purports to be a family movie about God helping people. It is actually a potshot at God. The little girl and her preacher dad move to a town of losers and weirdo's. Her mom has left her dad, but she does not know why. She needs friends and finds a dog romping around in Winn Dixie, and she adopts it. As she goes about the town meeting loser after loser - an ex-con, a former drunk, etc., the presence of her dog causes all of them to open up to her, eventually discovering what is the final lesson of this movie: Call on God for help, and He will tell you, "Life is tough. Take what is left and make the best for yourself. I hand out sweet and sour times to all." Begin with the dog, who is literally the God figure here. Reverse "dog" and what did you spell? The first giveaway is when the dog goes into the pet store, and a white bird lights on the top of the head of the dog. Familiar? Think: Jesus in the Jordan River. All of the losers that the movie features seem to be good sorts, with good things to offer. Example, all that the pet store worker wanted to do is offer the world a happy song. Yet, he goes to prison for one little mistake (slugging a cop.) This is a constant story point in secular writing: God puts us on earth, makes tough rules, we make one mistake, and have a miserable life, and end up in hell. In other words, the entire movie stands for the proposition that God and His rules for life are unfair. Worse, people get zapped in life and He has no pity, but tells them to do their best on their own. What a sacrilege! The Bible says, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." How tiring this story line is! Can't men come up with something imaginative? Another example is the preacher dad. Preachers are the favorite targets for shooting at God. The dad finally tells the girl that her mom left him "because I couldn't help her." This means that the gospel message he preached drove her to drink. On top of that, his message could not help her. Pitiful and inaccurate. I would not recommend this movie. If after watching it you are a bit mystified why, now you know why. It wasn't meant to be a God-friendly movie, but another tired vehicle for pointing a finger at God and blaming Him.

kill-the-boxtrolls You know what? This film wasn't bad at all, I was like awed over everything. The story, the plot, the directions, EVERYTHING. So this movie starts off at a shy girl who wants to find someone beloved and clue. And she found Winn-Dixie, a beloved, cheerful puppy who may be afraid of thunderstorms but loves the girl and becomes friends with her. In this coming of age story, the young girl and her dog, Dixie discover exceptional wonders and imaginations and experiences. Later, the girl discovers a helpful woman and accustoms her and as soon as she gets more and more used to her, they start planning a party. But Winn-Dixie suddenly runs off during the start of the party, Opal gets upset and is anxious to find him. So she comes across her dad who will try to find Winn-Dixie, but couldn't complete his attempt, he wanted to give up and the girl kept begging and soon within the middle of the party, Winn-Dixie came back and gave the girl glee and content. So this film was pretty interesting and really attracted my attention; the thing about the 10 things about her mom before she left the town and everything, I was amazed. If they would make a sequel, it would be impressive.

gregeichelberger (Originally published on Feb. 17, 2005) Okay, it's silly, dopey and sickeningly sweet, but there is something irresistible about this new 20th Century-Fox kids' flick, "Because of Winn-Dixie," starring Jeff Daniels ("Terms of Endearment," "Aranchnophobia") as a sullen preacher raising his flaxen-haired, big-eyed daughter, India Opal (Annasophia Robb), in the backwater town of Naomi, Fla.Populated by old buildings, rusted automobiles and run-down trailer parks, as well as surly citizens (but no friends Opal's age), Naomi (Australia filling in here for the Sunshine State) is not a bright spot in this girl's life, who's own mother left several years before.Her father, morose and distant, is no help, either, as he cannot even seem to care for himself, let alone her or his dwindling congregation.Then, one day, while picking up macaroni and cheese at the local Winn-Dixie grocery outlet, Opal rescues a wild dog that has already trashed the place. This is the first of several scenes in which the big, ugly mongrel (a Picardie Shepherd, which resembles a cross between a werewolf and a llama with a really creepy "smile") runs amok and wrecks things (Opal's trailer, a pet shop, a church, etc.).It gets to be old after a while, and soon I - an ardent dog lover - was even questioning my own fondness for the species. Despite this, Opal takes the flea-bitten mutt home and tries to convince dad to let her keep it.At first, like anyone in their right mind, he says no, but we all know he will have a change of heart, and, tossing common sense out the window, he caves in like a cheap card table. Meanwhile, in an effort to purchase the dog a collar, the girl takes a job sweeping floors and picking up trash at the local pet shop run by none other than musician Dave Mathews, who plays ex-con Otis (he served time, no doubt, because of his incoherent singing/mumbling).Little Opal can be annoying and whiny herself, but she has a good heart, really cares for the pup, seeks knowledge about her missing mom and really wants to get close to her father. Daniels plays the humiliated reverend - forced to accept free rent and preach to his tiny flock gathered in a former convenience store - very well. It was the same role that Walter Huston excelled in 1938's "Of Human Hearts." The young lady begins to spend a little too much time with the dog, however, constantly talking to it while actually believing that it understands her. later, Opal meets lonely librarian, Miss Franny (Eva Marie Saint, Academy Award winner for "On the Waterfront"), and local eccentric, Gloria Dump (Cicely Tyson, Emmy Award winner for "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pitman"), as well as others closer to her age.There's Amanda Wilkinson (Courtney Jines), "Sweetie Pie" Thomas (Ella Fanning, Dakota's little sis) and the irritating Dewberry Brothers (Nick Price and Luke Benward). Add to this mix the arrogant, bumbling sheriff (Harland Williams, "There's Something About Mary") and crotchety trailer park owner, Alfred (B.J. Hooper), and blend in a happy ending, and you have a decent family movie.It's uneven and downright ridiculous at times, but for some strange reason, it's difficult not to like - somehow.