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The Borrowers

1997·Movie
1h 27min·PG
64
DecentGoodWatch score
IMDb5.9Rotten Tomatoes73%49%
IMDb5.9Rotten Tomatoes73%49%

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The Borrowers fingerprint

Big heart.

Energy

Calm and low-key

  • Tension6
  • Fast Pace6
  • Spectacle6

Heart

Hopeful and nostalgic

Much of it is about family.

  • Hopefulness8
  • Nostalgia8
  • Wonder8

Humor

Some slapstick and situational comedy

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Physical Comedy6
  • Situational Comedy5
  • Wit & Wordplay4

World

Fantasy, mystery, and family

Lived-in and easy to get lost in.

  • World Immersion8
  • Rewatchability7
  • Dialogue Centrality6

Craft

Solid, not remarkable

  • Direction7
  • Acting7
  • Narrative Structure7

Style

Functional look and sound

  • Cinematography7
  • Editing6
  • Music Composition6

Who it's for

AdultsFamily Movie NightFriends NightParty VibeIntergenerationalKidsPartner WatchPublic Viewing SafeSolo WatchTeensBackground WatchComfort WatchDrop-in FriendlyPure Escapism

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Feel Good moviesNostalgic movies

Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every movie. Select a row to see all of them.

About

Little People. Big Trouble. Lots of fun.

The four-inch-tall Clock family secretly share a house with the normal-sized Lender family, "borrowing" such items as thread, safety pins, batteries and scraps of food. However, their peaceful co-existence is disturbed when evil lawyer Ocious P. Potter steals the will granting title to the house, which he plans to demolish in order to build apartments. The Lenders are forced to move, and the Clocks face the risk of being exposed to the normal-sized world.
Family AdventureFantasyNostalgicMagical WorldChildren's FilmWhimsicalCharmingHeartwarming

Crew

Directed by:
Peter Hewitt, Sara Desmond
Written by:
Gavin Scott, John Kamps, Mary Norton
Produced by:
Nina Gold, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
Composed by:
Harry Gregson-Williams, Mike Prestwood Smith, Mike Prestwood Smith

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about The Borrowers

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Borrowers legally?

Prime

The Borrowers is included with a subscription to Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads in the United States. You can also rent or buy it from Apple TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Google Play Movies. All links in Where to Watch go to these licensed services.

Is The Borrowers worth watching?

64
DecentGoodWatch score

Mostly. It's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 65/100 (IMDb 5.9 and Rotten Tomatoes 73%). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is The Borrowers rated?

PG

It's rated PG in the United States.

How long is The Borrowers?

1 h 27 min

The Borrowers runs 1 h 27 min.

Do critics and audiences agree on The Borrowers?

Critics73
Audiences54

Not quite. Critics rate The Borrowers higher (73) than audiences (54). It may be more rewarding than it is crowd-pleasing.

Was The Borrowers a box office hit?

Budget$29 million
Box office$23 million

No. It cost about $29 million to make and earned $23 million worldwide, 78% of its budget.

What language is The Borrowers in?

English

It was made in English. Produced in United Kingdom, United States.

In how many countries can I watch The Borrowers?

71ADALARATAUBABEBGBOBRBYBZCACH+57

GoodWatch finds legal streaming, rental, or purchase options for The Borrowers in 71 countries. Pick any of them in Where to Watch to see the local services.

What tropes does The Borrowers use?

Cultural TranslationRetro UniverseRock BottomThis Is What the Building Will Look LikeHumiliation CongaShout-OutPapa WolfMeaningful Background EventCanon ForeignerNamed by the AdaptationVillainous BreakdownThe Determinatorand 33 more

TV Tropes lists 45 storytelling tropes for The Borrowers, including Cultural Translation, Retro Universe, Rock Bottom.