Robin Robin (2021) User Reviews

A charming short from Aardman

[IonicBreezeMachine · 8/10 · 25 November 2021]

Robin (Bronte Carmichael), a robin, as an egg falls out of her nest and is adopted by a family of mice. Despite receiving the wisdoms of her Dad (Adeel Akhtar) Robin consistently bungles the family's "sneaks" for food much to the chagrin of her siblings. After inadvertently alerting the "who-mans" during their most recent sneak Robin sets out to try and sneak some crumbs to her family with the help of a materialistic magpie (Richard E. Grant) who tells Robin of the star Who-mans place atop trees in their homes that supposedly grants you any of your wishes, however the two must contend with a territorial and hungry cat (Gillian Anderson).

Robin Robin is the latest production from UK based stop-motion animation house, Aardman animations best known for their work on the Wallace and Gromit films, as well as Chicken Run, The Pirates: Band of Misfits (UK: The Pirates in an Adventure with a Scientist), and Early Man. Created and directed by Dan Ojari and Mikey Please, this is the first major project for either director (barring a couple of prior shorts on their filmography) and for their first major outing both Ojari and Please bring that same level of care, quality, and craft we've come to expect from Aardman even if admittedly it's a very familiar take whose story origins will seem more than a little reminiscent of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

The movie's animation is absolutely top notch with every scene from the opening onward lovingly crafted with simple but expressive creatures brought to life with Aardman's trademark style giving a real sense of tangibility to the proceedings with even the most minor of interactions. The opening sequence where we see Robin's egg roll out of her nest and through the woods seamlessly goes through an interconnected series of sets that are all beautifully crafted with only the occasional "editing trick" to give the illusion of flow. The animation is well synchronized with some charming song sequences with the mouse "sneaking" song being both charming as well as humorous with Robin's constant bungling Gillian Anderson's song as the Cat is playfully wicked as she sings mocking taunts to Robin while also insinuating her intentions to eat her.

The movie's characters are filled with charm and personality thanks to the design work in conjunction with pitch perfect casting. Bronte Carmichael's turn as Robin carries both enthusiastic tenacity as well as good natured naivety that endures the audience to a protagonist like this, and Adeel Akhtar as the mouse Dad is wonderful in supportive and caring attitude towards Robin and shows just how much he wants Robin to succeed at being a mouse. Richard E. Grant is quite funny as Magpie with his song about "things" and the value he places upon them being an amusing and humorous character quirk, and last and certainly not least is Gillian Anderson as the cat who is absolutely fantastic is our main villain effortlessly bringing to life some subtle but macabre charms to the character.

Robin Robin's story of an "odd duck" (no pun intended) protagonist not fitting in is definitely well trodden ground seen in the likes of stories like Dumbo and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, but the movie manages to overcome the familiarity of its story thanks to its attention to the little details and some really solid work by the voice cast.

Robin Robin is a pleasant Holiday themed short with Aardman's typically beautiful animation and charm and personality to spare. While the plot covers well-trodden ground, it's such an effortlessly immersive and pleasant viewing that I can only imagining people saying they like it.

Belonging

[kosmasp · 8/10 · 27 March 2022]

Most of us, if not all of us, try to find a space in life. Try to fit in, try to make something of what live has given us. Our enviroment and the people we grow up with. We may not belong to the "tribe"/class/(insert word that is fitting here - no pun intended) that raises us ... but we certainly take on the things they teach us.

A really fun and entertaining short movie, that may offend some people ... especially the cat lovers amongst the viewers. But don't take everything too seriously I'd say to those who actually feel offended. Animals get humanized, so try not to nitpick if possible.

Not sure if it will grab an Oscar (I have not seen the other animated shorts), but the nomination is more than deserving. Of Mice and ... birds.

Don't make a sound / do make a sound.

[Pjtaylor-96-138044 · 7/10 · 15 February 2022]

Firstly, I'd like to propose two alternate titles for the piece: "Robin Mouse" and "Robin' Robin". The former relates to the way in which the protagonist is a robin named Robin who belongs to a family of mice with the surname Mouse, whereas the latter relates to the way in which our hero is a robin who is robbing crumbs and other small foodstuffs alongside her sneaky siblings. The actual title of "Robin Robin (2021)" just doesn't really do it for me as it has little narrative significance beyond the fact that the main character is a robin named Robin (she's never referred to by that double name, either). This is a minor issue, of course, and it isn't something I'm going to hold against the actual film, but I felt it was worth mentioning. This stop-motion short tells the tale of a bird who finds it hard to fit in with the mice who raised her, primarily because she's extraordinarily clumsy and seems to draw attention to herself at the most inopportune of moments. Aardman once again deliver the goods when it comes to tactile, frame-by-frame animation, this time opting for a fluffy felt aesthetic instead of their usual fingerprinted clay look. It works really well, establishing a distinct visual presence that matches the piece's generally low-key and soft-spoken nature. The flick is a subtle musical, in the sense that its few songs aren't particularly grandiose or, even, any louder than the actual dialogue. The musical sequences aren't particularly formalistic, either; the characters just do a bit of singing as they go about their usual business. This isn't a bad thing, though. The music is calm and charming in its own way, enhancing the generally relaxing nature of the overall affair. It's difficult to properly describe, but the picture is pretty much the opposite of the typical hyperactivity usually associated with family fare (which isn't to imply that hyperactivity is inherently bad). The film features a basic but important central message and several endearing core characters. The voicework, especially that of Richard E. Grant and Gillian Anderson (whose voice is oddly soothing considering how dangerous her character is), is really solid, too. Ultimately, this is an enjoyable and, for lack of a better word, nice experience right the way through. It's lovely. 7/10.

Cute...

[RosanaBotafogo · 7/10 · 27 March 2022]

How cute, as every animated short should be, with cute messages for children, about respect, acceptance and inclusion, so necessary essential in the world we live in, highlighting the graphics, fantastically fluffy and furry, with a warm and welcoming aspect against contrasting with the cold and snow of Christmas...

you're only worth as much as your true identity

[lee_eisenberg · 7/10 · 30 March 2022]

Clever if mildly corny animated short about a robin raised by mice trying to expand her horizons. The Academy Award-nominated "Robin Robin" would've been better without the songs; seriously, why do so many children's flicks feel the need to have the characters break out into singing?

It comes from the studio that gave us "Creature Comforts", "Chicken Run" and Wallace & Gromit, so you know that there's gonna be some good stuff. Unlike the aforementioned works, this one doesn't use clay characters. Instead, they're felt puppets. The only cast members whom I recognized were Richard E. Grant and Gillian Anderson.

Anyway, whatever the adults think of it, "Robin Robin" is sure to entertain the tykes.

Round Robin

[Horst_In_Translation · 6/10 · 17 March 2022]

"Robin Robin" is a co-production between the United Kingdom and United States from 2021, so a relatively recent film and if Netflix and Aardman collaborate on a film featuring the voices of Richard E. Grant and Gillian Anderson, then you know what you can expect: Good quality. The one voicing the title character is Bronte Carmichael. Interesting first name. Even more interesting to see what other film she appeared in a while ago and the name connection to this one here is just a huge coincidence I assume. With Aardman, you never really get the newest animation technologies, but there is a touch of retro to their works. And lots and lots of charm. I like it. They are also never going for the cutest characters in terms of looks, even if they definitely could have with the robin here. I mean said robin does look cute in its own way, also through the clumsiness a bit, but definitely not Disney-style and instead more flawed and it is also a bit of a chubby Robin and just works nicely all in all. The robin (I guess it is a male robin then despite the female voice actress?) is brought up by mice and taught by them (or its "father") how to be a good mice. So a bit of Jungle Book almost, even if we do not see all that in detail. Lots of love from the mice for the robin, even if he does something wrong that results in them losing all the food they were about to take with them. How the mice talked about traps or, even worse, cats, was a bit funny, also their plans of the neighborhood basically to see which places they had already broken into. Those with the big red cross. But the funniest moment came from the Magpie for me when he was about to understand something the robin said. Or was not. Nobody can be sure about that. But the reaction was hilarious.

This was a charming little film overall. I was missing greatness, but I enjoyed the watch constantly. At 32 minutes, it is by far the longest from the animated short Oscar nominees this year. All four others are roughly half as long. Not too many weaknesses here. I admittedly struggled a bit with the somewhat big moment when the robin accepts he is a bird and simply flies away when he has to because the cat is about to catch (hehe cat-ch) him otherwise. This came a bit out of nowhere. I mean there was one occasion earlier when the robin said he can't fly when he was talking to the magpie with the injured wing, but still. The good moments were more frequent luckily, also really creative in a cute way too. Look at how the title character distracts the cat and the cat asks what he is doing (and probably some people in the audience asked themselves the same question because of the typical Aardman awkwardness, awkwaardness hehe), but it totally made sense to help his (fellow) mice. The robin was not stupid at all. Just a bit naive maybe. In the end, the robin, the mice and the magpie bond and find a new approach how they can get the food they are longing for. I think this worked out really nice and no hesitation for me in giving it a thumbs-up. I am not sure if it is my favorite from the nominees or "only" number two, but if it wins the Oscar (and the chance is certainly there), then I will not complain at all. This is also the most harmless film from the nominees, which could help its chances. Maybe even the only one you want to watch with children. Okay, the Russian entry is also still okay for that. I shall get to that one next. For now, Robin Robin surely gets a positive recommendation from me. The running time also feels right. Don't think there could have been enough quality material for a full feature film, but under 25 minutes would maybe also not have been the right choice. So well done to those working on it and you should reward them by giving this cute little film a chance. Nicely animated, good story too.

Blatant anti-feline propaganda.

[matthewdjb-829-167430 · 10/10 · 20 December 2021]

Beautifully animated, heart warming story of family.

Despite being blatant anti-feline propaganda. Why is it everyone has it in for the cats, just because they're evil vicious brutes who make a nice noise when you stroke them, and are lovely to look at.

I love my cat.

Not up to Aardman standards :-(

[stevebondi · 6/10 · 1 April 2022]

It was hard for me to get beyond the cheesy designs and cheesy animation :-( I was hoping for "Shaun the Sheep"-quality design, animation, and writing, and instead got a more amateurish work :-(

This brilliantly simple (yet effective) idea was long-overdue!

[walkingwithprimeval · 9/10 · 17 January 2022]

I'm quite honestly surprised that out of all the different Christmas-related stuff to base entire movies, shorts and specials around, it took someone this long to figure out there hasn't really been any Christmasy film at all to do with a robin (our most friendliest garden visitor and a definitive staple of the wintertime's lovely wildlife scenery, along with the likes of the more famous reindeer). For many years now, this is something I've always wondered about myself and I say it's about time that a studio came up with a good enough reason for a basic story treatment featuring this beautiful tiny birdie as the primary focus point and main draw of the whole thing by employing it in some sort of creative method. And visually-speaking, you don't get more creative than the gorgeous stop-motion done by none other than Aardman Animation (REAL masters at the top of this slowly-dying art-form).

Just the very straightforward "longing to belong" story of a not-so-sneaky young robin wishing she were a real mouse as to properly fit in with the rest of her stealthy scavenging family (after having been taken in by loving rodents as an egg and still cared for when she hatched into a little chick) felt like a genuinely endearing tale to me as the tightly-written script was cleverly thought-out to the point where all the amusing events of fun action and playful "food heist" sequences took place in a non-contrived organic manner, a compelling fashion that even persists right up to the happy ending's resolution of the matter at hand; wherein it presents a rather satisfying payoff to our charming lead character having now unlocked her true potential with the aerial advantages of being a flying critter, making effective use of her natural gifts in order to help aide the loved ones she cares most about (don't worry, I'm NOT going to give any specifics away!). It's aptly comparable to Annabelle's Wish (a 1997 special), which was about a dreamy cow calf who wished so badly to fly like one of Santa's magical reindeer.

Stop-motion animation is of course, in and of itself, yet another grand time-honoured tradition in this most beloved holiday season of them all. The animation work that was done on the loveable main character is especially well-realised, with our lively little robin protagonist being portrayed as having a lot of high volume energy and just an all-round positive attitude in the daring food-pinching situations she's caught up in (either while it's with her surrogate mouse family, or just her going solo). I adore these types of animated characters, the humble ones with a hopeful outlook on all of life's trials and tribulations. And child actress Bronte Carmichael, who's the only cast member I recognised in the credits due to her co-starring debut in Disney's live-action Christopher Robin film (back in 2018), brought great spirit to her optimistic character's kind temperament and warm personality. In fact, all the rest of the superb talent did a terrific job at voicing their respective roles as well (especially this Richard E. Grant fella, with his part as a shiny-obsessed collecting magpie).

One thing that caught me off-guard was that for a short film (clocking in at approx. 30 min.), I really didn't expect there to be a handful of musical numbers in here (not that I minded any of them!). Also, while I get that it's supposed to be intentionally simple, I kind of found "Robin Robin" to be a bit of an unoriginal title. Frankly seems a tad redundant to me but whatever, it's really no big deal at the end of the day (my mind's probably just overthinking that one too much). For all you avid avian enthusiasts out there who enjoy seeing a good wholesome Christmastime cartoon, this cute little short is sure to be seen as essential seasonal viewing and will most likely go down in years to come as a must-watch family favourite with its immense rewatch-ability factor, being placed right up there with the likes of such quality as The Snowman (from 1982) and Mickey's Christmas Carol (from 1983). Personally, I already deem it to be a new holiday classic for people of all ages.

Nostalgic animation and scores. Relatable storyline & thrilling musical adventure

[sisubalan · 7/10 · 29 October 2022]

Amazing short story - adventurous, family friendly. Interesting take in the animation style - adorable & something that i grow up watching with. Wholesome voice castings and playful sound scores which compliment this adorable animation style and its world. Loving the idea of making it as musicals which for me adding more into the nostalgic vibe of my childhood movies/tv shows that i used to watch with the exact style and sound experiences. Plot-wise just common, nothing new. Highly entertaining - dramatic, comedic, thrilling adventure, relatable storyline - struggle to fit in & embrace your differences and identity. Great ending. Cute lyrics and song writtings. Highly recommended. Great for christmas season.

Absolutely fabulous. The big kid in me loves it!

[amazon-500-900979 · 10/10 · 24 November 2021]

Just watched it 5 minutes ago. Overwhelmed!

Exquisite, heart-rending - I can't praise it enough. Yes, it is about birds, mice and cats - but also, in the most human way, how these (felt) creature navigate a world of desire, threat and identity.

Aardman have done a fantastic job. It takes me back to the wonder of childhood. And it will become a Xmas classic - just like the Snowman.

Well, what about it at the technical level is so good? Simple answer: The stop motion animation, lighting, script, puppet design, performances, music, songs, etc etc are all just stunningly accomplished.

I enjoyed every second and wished it was longer. (My only criticism is that it is too short.)

I hope there is a follow up next year.

Chapeau! Congrats! Well done!

Not common, and self explanatory

[Sh31kh_H0kv5 · 7/10 · 1 March 2022]

Proudly acknowledged the fact that this wasn't what i was expecting, it went far as to show how you fit in just being your self, notin changes(you are what you are)

Beautiful animation, but otherwise strange and unengaging story

[Holly_OHara · 4/10 · 6 December 2021]

Clearly I am in the minority here as so many others seem to have adored this and I will admit that the animation is, of course, visually stunning. This is nothing less than we have come to expect from Aardman. The story - about fitting in and finding one's place in the world - falls flat to me. There is not enough to really invoke empathy with Robin's plight at the beginning. Instead, she is just clumsy and there is a limit to the hilarity of knocking over glasses and causing chaos. In fact, none of the characters really draw you in. We don't see enough of the mouse family to care about them, the magpie was just weird and the cat was, predictably, an evil predator that also inexplicably understood Robin's motivation and used this against her to crush her spirit. The film somehow smacks you in the face with its message while still failing to land its punch.

The songs, such as they were, did not really justify calling this a musical and you'll struggle to remember any of them past the end credits. I was just bored with the whole thing and by the halfway point, I couldn't wait to get to the end (I was watching with others or I suspect I would have given up).

As I said, almost everyone else seems to think this is the next Christmas classic and I'm glad they got that level of enjoyment from it, but it's been taken off my watchlist and won't be a Christmas staple for me.

It's on autopilot

[CubsandCulture · 7/10 · 14 February 2022]

This is a droll animated short that takes a whack at a fish out of water plot. A robin is adopted by mice and she struggles to find her niche. The animation is engaging and technically impressive stop-motion and the voice work is nice but this Christmas tale is too rote to be engaging.

A charming short and a great christmas alternative

[mickeythechamp · 7/10 · 13 October 2022]

A charming stop motion journey that is great for a Christmas watch. While nothing special it is really well done.

We follow a robin that is raised by mice. She starts to see that she might not be the best mouse so she sets out to find a whishing star and along the way descovers more about herself.

The story is cute and simply told. The charecters are all great and feeds into the story well. The plot has a lot of culture or adoption vibes, where the chatecter has to learn about themselve and also fit in.

The animation is really well done. Everything moves beutifully and all the sets are well done. There is so many small details around the invioment since the charecters are so small. It has simelar ideas to how the toys from toy story sees the world.

The movie had a hard time commenting to if it wanted to be a musical or not. All of a sudden chatecters sing and it really doesn't fit the movie. It really doesn't help one of the chatecters can't really sing. I personally think the movie would have been better without the musical element.

Overall Robin Robin is a cute and fine kids movie. It gets into the Christmas spirit and tells a good story.

Wonderful movie

[shreeanshdash · 10/10 · 8 December 2021]

Wonderfully made!

Just a perfect story at a perfect length with wonderful characters to watch sing and sneak! I loved it. Robin's singing voice is so cute. Just wonderful!

Yet Another Charming Aardman Animated Film

[MrAfroSushi · 9/10 · 1 December 2021]

Yes technically this is a half an hour short animated movie, but it was worth spending my 30 minutes watching this charming and adorable film. Everything about it from the pacing, characters, beautiful animation style is just what you expect from a great studio trying to experiment something new, and it all paid off. If you got 30 mins to spare, watch this masterpiece on Netflix!!

Wonderfully made!

[sinahaase-960-743497 · 10/10 · 26 November 2021]

Just a perfect story at a perfect length with wonderful characters to watch sing and sneak! I loved it. Robin's singing voice is so cute. Just wonderful!

Boring

[billridley · 1/10 · 3 January 2022]

Didnt hold my interest at all. Very uninteresting characters script and storyline. Gave up watching after 10 mins. Not a patch on the other aardvark creations.

Short, Simple, and Sweet

[josephmayes · 9/10 · 26 November 2021]

In just over 30 minutes, Robin Robin tells a familiar, yet fantastic story of an orphaned Robin raised by a family of mice who wishes to do better for her adopted family which evolves into an existential crisis. Beautifully animated, the masterful Aardman studios transforms its iconic clay-esque style of claymation into one that is more textured and rustic, a style reminiscent of Wes Anderson's films. The result is a gorgeous and adorable winter wonderland of blue-hued landscapes and warm enclosures. I was a bit concerned by the running time of the short, but Robin Robin proved me wrong with its ability to tell its story organically within its short timeline.

If there's one thing I want of this movie is more. But since that is the duty of a movie, I guess Robin Robin did it's job.

Basic story told better than ever

[bulgerpaul · 10/10 · 10 December 2021]

Well this Aardman/Netflix content deal has managed to bring us two great Christmas specials this year, the first being the new Shaun the Sheep Christmas special, and now, Robin Robin, something I hadn't had on my radar at all until it was popped up in my feed yesterday, and it's a shame Netflix didn't put way more marketing behind this one because it is absolutely delightful.

It's a simple, musical tale in which a bird is raised by mice and tries its entire life to be a mouse only to realize it's better off as a bird. A pitch for a story that's been told in children's books and media a thousand times over, only this time wrapped in a package of Aardman style felt puppets, art direction, and hilarious, witty sight gags.

Heart-warming Story about Self Discovery and Accpetance

[chenbymylittellog · 9/10 · 30 April 2022]

A short film written and directed by Daniel Ojari and Michael Please tells a story about a bird named Robin (voiced by Bronte Carmichael) raised by mice who starts to question who she is and starts her journey of self-discovery.

The story start from a bird egg fell and landed near the mice house. For 32 minutes we can see Robin start questioning her identity and looking for her true self and how the mice family react to her. It is a heart-warming musical film that can be enjoyed by all aged and can be a good choice for kids to watch.

Missed opportunity

[jonathan_pickett · 5/10 · 11 December 2021]

What a shame. Great animation as always from Aardman but for me the story was weak and the voices awful. It would have worked better with no voices at all as the action could have spoken for itself. The Robin doesn't look right and is not cute enough and the kids voices for the mice are all wrong and not cute either. The magpie looks more like a jackdaw too. However Richard E Grant voices well and the cat is fine. But oh what a missed opportunity this is. Shame. Bring back Wallace & Gromit.

Perfect Animation from Aardman - Captivating and Charming!

[djspencerj · 9/10 · 11 December 2021]

You can tell you're in for a treat right from the opening scene. What a charming and wholesome delight. The animations are beautiful and the musical score equally as good with catchy melodies and lyrics that will have you humming the songs for weeks. "A coin from the middle of the sticky brown poo!" (Referring to a Xmas pud) will have the juvenile humour in every adult laugh along with any children present. Yes the cat is a bit scary but this just adds to precariousness of the the situation. The story of a bird being brought up as a sneaky mouse was sure to guarantee hilarity and it does in droves. This will be a Christmas staple in our household for ever more. Well done Aardman.

A Holiday Staple for Finding One's Self

[elicopperman · 8/10 · 10 December 2021]

Celebrating the holidays with friends & family is one thing, but celebrating yourself coming to terms with who you are and how you were raised on the holidays means a lot to others. In the case of the recent Aardman Christmas special Robin Robin, it tells the story of a robin who was raised by a family of mice that steal food from houses, but ends up struggling in her abilities as a stealth artist and questions her place. Despite only having been released last month, on Netflix of all places, this mini film has the potential to become a modern day holiday tradition for families to gather round once a year to tune in.

Utilizing the typical fish out of water adoption narrative in concept, Robin Robin delves into the titular character's difficulties in fitting in her family's methods of survival. She was raised by them, tries to act like them, and even dawns fuzzy ears for herself. However, she wants to steal more than just mere crumbs, which gets her into trouble at a new house while meeting new strange characters. The most charming one she meets is Magpie, a profound collector of all things shiny who does take his role fairly seriously, albeit in a tongue & cheek manner. This character teaches Robin the pros and cons of stealing and collecting through song and humor, lending the musical highlight Things up the charts. In addition, there's a villainous Cat who toys around with the poor defenseless Robin, among her own family, by lurking in her house of doom and singing a song about fitting in, both literally and metaphorically. It's odd characters like these that make this special all the more delightful, rather than your average tale of growth on your own terms.

In addition to the heartwarming story, the visuals are delightfully adorable and playfully colorful. As a stop-motion Christmas featurette that was crafted from needle felt, the production design lends a lot of ambitious artistry through only so little. Many set pieces and action sequences may vary from a splattering snowball fight to an explosive fireworks display to even a fast moving icy river, not particularly commonplace in lower budgeted holiday specials. Not to mention, as food in animation tends to look vastly more appealing than real life, any feast that the mice or another animal might snag looks on par with the most scrumptious Christmas meal out there. Lastly, alongside the aforementioned harmonious songs from English duo The Bookshop Band, the voice cast is splendid. Bronte Carmichael lends a lot of sympathy through her anxious personality as Robin, Adeel Akhtar brings a special parental quality as the mouse father, and both Richard E. Grant & Gillian Anderson steal the show in livening up the Magpie and Cat to delightfully theatrical levels of acting.

As both a holiday special and a message about finding yourself, Robin Robin is a delightful technical triumph of a moving story. By celebrating our individual strengths and differences, this is definitely a special for the ages that could inspire multiple generations as of today. If you've got a family you're looking forward to seeing over this season or you're into stop-motion featurettes that embrace the holiday spirit, definitely give it at least one watch. Even if it's only half an hour long, it's a tale as timeless as the best stories that have inspired the decades prior.