BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE

US, 2005, 106 minutes, Colour.
AnnaSophia? Robb, Jeff Daniels, Eva Marie Saint, Cicely Tyson, Dave Matthews, Elle Fanning.
Directed by Wayne Wang.

A film about a dog and a girl, designed for wholesome family viewing.

This is a very American story told with American feelings and sentiment. The temptation is to advise non-American audiences that they might find it more than a bit twee.

Jeff Daniels is a preacher whose wife has abandoned him and left him with his young daughter, Opal, (Anna Sophia Robb who is self-assertive in the Dakota Fanning style which some adults might find overbearing and offputting). Opal rescues a big, abandoned dog which she names Winn-Dixie?. The story recounts her love for the dog (especially when it is terrified in storms and when it runs away), her pressure on her father to keep it, as well as to find out stories about her mother. She meets an old black woman, Cicely Tyson, a sympathetic librarian, Eva Marie Saint, a good young man who has been in jail, two scruffy brothers from school and a young friend called (truly) Sweetie Pie (played by Dakota’s younger sister, Elle).

Altogether, this is a string of nice stories that help Opal to grow up and for her father to come to terms with his wife’s abandoning them. It all ends with everyone at a nice party.

Director Wayne Wang usually makes tougher films for adult audiences.



1. The popularity of the film? For children? Girls? Family?
2. The adaptation of a popular book for children? The story, the characters, the dog, life in the south?
3. The title of the film, the grocery store, Opal giving the stray dog this name? Her explaining that everything happened because the cause of Winn-Dixie?
4. Opal’s voiceover? The ten year old? Her experience of life, her mother abandoning her and her continually concerned and asking questions? Her father’s 10 reasons for loving her mother? Her mother not being able to live as a preacher’s wife? Her father and his sense of failure? Opal and the continual moving for the church? Her need to make new friends? The services in the storefront? Supermarket, the disturbance with the dog, her claiming it, naming it, taking him home, her father not wanting it? The dog and the friendliness to her father? The landlord and his not wanting the dog? Her washing it, cleaning it, the temporary acceptance? Her happiness?
5. The picture of Opal’s father, marriage, failure, his wife leaving, his love for his daughter, taking her with him? The church, the services, his preaching? His not going out? Response to the dog, to the landlord who was giving him the house rent free?
6. Opal and her making friends, the twins and her insulting them, inviting them to the party, apologizing? Her friendship with Sweetie Pie? The tension with Amanda, becoming friends with her, and with Winn-Dixie?
7. Going to the house and meeting the librarian, her kindness, age, never marrying, telling the story of the bear and War and Peace? Opal imagining the scenes with the bear? The growing friendship with the lady? The preparation for the party?
8. The encounter with the old black lady,fearing that she would eat her? The lady and her blindness, friendship, welcoming the dog? Chats? Going to the party?
9. The friendship with Otis, his cockatoo, working in the shop, playing his music, wary of Opal, her assertiveness, offering to do the work, returning to the store, the job? The friendship with Otis? His coming to the party?
10. The party, the gathering, her father not coming? The raign? Winn-Dixie? missing? Her going in search, her father helping, his coming to the party, meeting everyone? The return of Winn-Dixie?
11. The story of the young girl, of her love for a dog, of loving her father, of making friends?