Stuart Little

Fans of E. B. White's children's book, about a congenial little mouse with a wind-up red roadster, would be wise to avoid this mostly in-name-only adaptation, featuring Michael J. Fox's voice emanating from a computer-animated Stuart. Nearly everything delightful about the book is erased or painted over here with predictably zany adventures (including a kidnapping plot) and deliberately ham-fisted acting from a wildly talented cast (including Geena Davis, Jeffrey Jones and Julia Sweeney), entirely wasted on a Saturday morning cartoon script. Stuart is spectacularly rendered, right down to his whiskers, teeth and shoelaces, and while my hat goes off to the animators, it's a pity the story couldn't have been something special as well. Considering the popularity and sell-through price, however, this is a strong optional purchase. (R. Blackwelder)