A Tooth Fairy Tale Film Analysis: Animated Journey with a Touch of Family-Friendly Preteen Love Story

In this cartoon adventure aimed at tweens, the fairy community is dedicated to collecting teeth from sleeping children and placing treasure under their pillows. Board-riding youthful nonconformist fairy Van (voiced by Booboo Stewart) shows little enthusiasm about devoting his life to collecting baby teeth—a feeling that’s completely understandable. He is just slightly more interested in the financial workings behind it all: the fairies hand over the molars to unseen goblins, who provide metal as payment. However, Van’s interest grows when he catches sight of a goblin (played by Larkin Bell), who turns out to be not at all the hideous gnome he expected.

An Unlikely Connection and Shared Threat

The stage is set for an exciting quest with a gentle touch of young love (though it’s very much suitable for younger kids). The fairy and goblin groups are estranged from each other, and nothing fuels the thrill of the forbidden to bring people together. Both groups as seen here are remarkably alike, yet each holds prejudiced beliefs about the opposite side. Fairies are supposed to be self-centered types, prone to taking anything they want, while the goblins are allegedly dim-witted, smelly, and primitive, but are in fact bright and technologically advanced.

Naturally, such a setup requires a shared foe to unite against, and this is duly provided by some nasty spiders, with voices by Jon Lovitz and Fran Drescher. They make no secret about their intentions: they want to eat the fairies and goblins, and they serve as fairly bloodthirsty, though not particularly skilled, villains.

Ideal Viewers and Overall Impression

You won’t find all that many animated films targeting the kind of audience that is beginning to have first crushes, but aren’t yet old enough for whatever teenagers are watching in lieu of popular teen sagas. If your child falls into this age group, this is unlikely to be their next all-time fave, but you could do worse.

A Tooth Fairy Tale releases in movie theaters in Scotland from 10 October and the rest of the UK beginning October 24.