New Showbiz

You are here:
The Borrowers

The Borrowers

1997

PG

Director

Peter Hewitt

Runtime

87 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

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.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

2.4/10

Limited


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Minimal

The film contains no queer narratives or non-heteronormative identities. Character dynamics are strictly defined by traditional heteronormative family structures.

Gender Representation

Limited

Gender roles follow classic domestic divisions. Pod acts as the external provider, while Homily is centered in the domestic and emotional sphere.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Minimal

The cast and setting are predominantly white and Eurocentric. The film does not use its fantasy elements to address racial or ethnic diversity.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Limited

The story operates within conventional Western values and capitalist legal frameworks. It utilizes standard coming-of-age tropes rather than systemic critiques.

Disability Representation

Minimal

There are no prominent depictions of visible or invisible disabilities. The primary cast and character arcs lack neurodivergent or chronic illness representation.

Strengths

  • The protagonist Pete offers a standard coming-of-age arc through his alliance with the Borrowers.

Areas for Improvement

  • The film lacks any representation of LGBTQ+ identities or queer narratives.
  • Gender roles reinforce traditional divisions of labor and domesticity.
  • The cast is predominantly white, lacking racial or ethnic diversity.
  • There is no representation of disability or neurodivergence within the characters.

AI Analysis

The film functions as a conventional family fantasy that relies on established social hierarchies and Eurocentric tropes. It prioritizes traditional storytelling archetypes over intersectional complexity or social disruption. Narrative structures reinforce standard domestic roles and homogeneous social units. The conflict centers on property and legal titles, adhering to standard Western frameworks without offering systemic critique. Ultimately, the production lacks representation across most marginalized identities, focusing instead on a traditionalist approach to the fantasy genre.

How are these scores produced? →

Similar Movies

Movie poster for Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

2009

No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 3.9 out of 10

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.