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Title: Mediocre family film, but a complete disgrace to the book!
Review: The movie was much less impactful, much less meaningful, and generally much less compelling than the book. Ellen's various guardians in the film deserve Nobel Peace Prizes in comparison to their characters in the book. Jena Malone as Ellen Foster did well for a TV-film actress, otherwise the acting was mediocre. The only people I would recommend this film to are those with kids (8-12) who can't bear the thought of reading and aren't likely to change their minds once they reach ages 13 and up; the book is a bit explicit for children under 13. Basically, you're comparing the book Oliver Twist to your typical small-screen/straight-to-video cheesy drama. Angels in the Endzone is what pops into my head, but that's just my opinion on a different film.
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