Fantastic Mr. Fox Review (2009) – A Cozy Autumn Caper about Ego, Community, and the Chaos we can Dig ourselves into!

We potatoes can’t believe it’s already the end of November! These past few months have simultaneously felt extremely slow and like everything is going by way too fast. This week, we’re taking that frantic year-end energy and attempting to slow down a little, funneling it all into one of our favorite movies from the late 2000’s: Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), which is a bit of an odd one, but also exceedingly fun!

This is a movie that we feel really flew under the radar for most people, not just when it was released back in 2009, but even now. It’s an odd little stop-motion film based on the book of the same name by Roald Dahl. Wes Anderson, the director of this movie, brings a signature humor and style to the film that we hadn’t really seen before. In all honesty, we haven’t seen any other Wes Anderson films, but if Fantastic Mr. Fox is anything to go by, we’d certainly be interested!

Before we scamper into the burrows, barns, and trees of Fantastic Mr. Fox, a few brief things to consider: this is a PG-rated movie, so it’s mostly lighthearted and fun. However, the film does touch on themes like midlife crises, dishonesty, dismissive behavior, animal death (primarily chickens), and threats of violence, guns, mild injury, and family tension. Nothing is explicitly graphic, but these elements are present, so take care while reading and watching.

As always, we will do our best to avoid revealing major spoilers, still, some spoilers are inevitable, so please read with care.

Let’s burrow in!

We begin on a hill beneath a single apple tree. Mr. Fox (George Clooney) stands there chewing on a reed of wild grass and listening to an old version of “Davey Crockett” on his Walkman. He leans against the tree in his corduroy suit before picking an apple off the branch, taking a big bite, and spitting a seed as if the whole countryside exists just to amuse him.

Mrs. Fox (Meryl Streep) climbs the hill toward him and Mr. Fox greets her by asking, “What’d the doctor say?” She tells him it’s “just a twenty-four hour bug” and that the doctor gave her some pills.

We noted that Mrs. Fox looks a bit worried here, but it really just flies right over Mr. Fox’s head. They start walking down the path and he asks if they should take “the shortcut” or the “scenic route”. Mrs. Fox recommends the shortcut, but Mr. Fox rebuts, “Oh, but the scenic route is so much prettier.” Mrs. Fox then changes her mind, shrugs, and says, “OK, let’s take the scenic route.” Mr. Fox beams. “Great. It’s actually slightly quicker anyway.” He then does his little “trademark”, a sharp whistle, a tongue click, and a wink.

This short exchange is our first glimpse of their relationship dynamic. Mrs. Fox has a tendency to go along with whatever Mr. Fox wants to do. Something that comes up often in the film, and since no one is infallible, this often gets them into trouble. But we digress.

They move quietly toward Berk’s Squab Farm. Before heading in to try to steal some squabs, Mr. Fox notes how Mrs. Fox is so beautiful and practically glowing. Then we pull back and see that she is literally glowing from the inside out, like a plastic toy with a flashlight inside! First of all: hint, hint. Second, that is a hilarious and clever use of stop-motion! This heavy detail once again goes right over Foxy’s head.

As they look in at the farm, and after another short exchange where Mr. Fox offers two options for their approach into the coop and steamrolls over Mrs. Fox’s choice, they make their move.

They slip under fences, past doghouses, and over rooftops. Both enter from the back of the small coop and emerge out the front with squabs in their teeth… until Fox spots something above them. “What’s that? I think that’s a fox-trap! Look at this.” Mrs. Fox begs him not to mess with it. Fox, unable to resist, pulls a wire. The cage drops right on top of them. They stare at each other in stunned silence until Fox mutters, “No, it just falls straight down right here, doesn’t it? I guess it’s not spring-loaded.”

That’s when Mrs. Fox says softly, “I’m pregnant.” Mr. Fox is stunned. Then the alarms start, dogs bark, farmers yell angrily. She tells him, “If we’re still alive tomorrow morning, I want you to find another line of work.” Fox answers, “OK.”

Two years later (or twelve fox-years), Fox and his family live underground. He’s slightly greying at the temples, sitting at his kitchen table reading a newspaper column called “Fox About Town with Fantastic Mr. Fox”. He asks Mrs. Fox, “Does anybody actually read my column?” Seems he found that other line of work! Good for him!

Ash (Jason Schwartzman), their son, shuffles in wearing only his tighty-whities and declares that he’s sick. Mrs. Fox refutes his claims at every turn until Ash storms back to his room to get ready for school. Ash is a hilarious character! He’s whiny, grumpy, quirky, and constantly annoyed or inconvenienced, but eager to prove himself. Being the son of the “Fantastic Mr. Fox”, he seems to feel quite a lot of pressure. Also, for some reason, he spits a lot. It kind of reminds us of a dog huffing in distaste, but regardless, it’s hilarious every time.

After Ash heads back to his room, Mr. Fox turns the page of his newspaper and sees a real estate listing for a house above ground. A large tree at the top of a hill.

As Mrs. Fox sets down his breakfast in front of him, Mr. Fox grabs her hand gently and says, “I don’t want to live in a hole anymore. It makes me feel poor.” Mrs. Fox says, “We are poor, but we’re happy.” Fox mutters, “Comme-ci, comme-ça.” Totally dismissive of her thoughts once again. This happens a LOT throughout the film. Mr. Fox really does think he’s God’s gift to the world. That he’s smarter than everyone, more talented than everyone, and that he knows better than everyone. The thing about it is, he’s so confident about everything he says that we can see how it might be difficult to say, “No, Mr. Fox, you’re wrong.” His arrogance and dismissiveness are his biggest issues for sure.

As he’s heading out the door, Mrs. Fox calls after him, “You know, foxes live in holes for a reason.”

Mr. Fox, of course, immediately goes to the open house for the tree he saw in the paper. Here, we meet Kylie (Wallace Wolodarsky), the quiet opossum superintendent. He’s busy working on pipes under the kitchen sink when the realtor scolds him, telling him the property is being shown and that Kylie shouldn’t be there. Kylie is a great character! He’s shy, reserved, and has a habit of staring blankly into space mid-conversation… which is, honestly, quite relatable!

As they’re discussing the tree house, Fox looks out the window and sees something that catches his eye: Boggis, Bunce, and Bean, three legendary farms just across from the house, all right next to each other. Something old and reckless stirs inside him and he gets a mischievous look on his face. When Weasel (Wes Anderson), the realtor, asks his line of work, Fox dreamily says, “I used to steal birds, but now I’m a newspaper man.” Mr. Fox is definitely up to something.

He immediately goes to his lawyer’s office, “Badger, Beaver, & Beaver – Attorneys at Law”. He sits down with Badger (Bill Murray) and gets a stern talking-to about purchasing the tree. Badger explains that Boggis, Bunce, and Bean are three of the meanest, nastiest, deadliest farmers in the history of the valley. Badger’s advice: “I think you just gotta not do it, man, that’s all.”

In true Mr. Fox fashion, he disagrees and ignores his lawyer’s advice. This disagreement leads to one of the silliest fights in cinema! “Are you cussin’ with me?!” They snarl and show teeth before they finally calm down, out of breath and settling heavily into their chairs. “Just buy the tree,” Mr. Fox says. Badger just gives a resigned, “OK.”

The family moves into the tree house quickly and gets settled in. We’re then introduced to Kristofferson (Eric Chase Anderson), Ash’s calm, athletic, golden-child cousin, who arrives to stay with the family while his father deals with a medical issue. Ash is immediately annoyed with Kristofferson’s natural talent at seemingly everything, sparking lots of jealousy. Their dynamic for the rest of the film is fantastic. Kristofferson really is a sweetheart, and Ash is… well, he’s his father’s son. They butt heads, but mostly because of Ash’s competitiveness and need to prove himself.

That night, Fox and Kylie stand at the top of the tree looking out toward the three big farms while Fox spirals into existential philosophy. “Who am I, Kylie? Why a fox? Why not a horse or a beetle or a bald eagle?… How can a fox ever be happy without a… forgive the expression… chicken in its teeth?” Kylie says, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but it sounds illegal.”

Fox recruits Kylie for one “last big job.” “I used to do this professionally,” Fox says, “but I’ve decided to secretly do one last big job on the sly. I’m bringing you in as my secretary and personal assistant.”

Fox starts a voice recording: “Master Plan. Phase One. Side A.”

We’re going to wrap it up from there!

Essentially, Mr. Fox wants to relive the glory days and do what he feels he used to do best: steal from farmers. This time though, he’s going after the three biggest, baddest farmers the valley has ever seen: Boggis, Bunce, and Bean.

What follows is a whirlwind, autumn-tinted caper stitched together with mischief, ridiculous plans, bandit hats, and the realization that your ego can burn down everything you love if you’re not careful. The heists, the tunnels, the wild plans against Boggis, Bunce, and Bean all sparkle with charm, yes, but beneath all of it lies something thornier. Fantastic Mr. Fox is a story about identity and adventure, certainly, but it is also a story about what happens when your longing to feel special grows louder than the wellbeing of the people who love and depend on you.

Mr. Fox is not just stealing chickens for survival. He is chasing a feeling, the thrill of being exceptional, the rush of being admired, the persona he cannot quite let go of. In doing so, he endangers his wife, his child, his friends, and his entire community. Not in symbolic or emotional ways, but in immediate ones: homes destroyed, families displaced, survival at stake. His mistakes are not small, and the film does not soften their impact. There’s tension and there’s fear.

One thing we potatoes did not love about the story is how easily the community around Mr. Fox ends up rescuing him from the consequences of his own choices. Yes, the film shows the fallout of his actions, and yes, we can see that he feels the weight of it at times, but when the dust settles it often feels like everyone else is the one paying the bill for his impulses. The other animals rally, dig, strategize, and scrape together solutions while Mr. Fox stays oddly certain of himself, even when he is the reason they are all in danger.

It seems like the film is reaching for redemption earned through accountability, but the follow-through is thin. The community’s teamwork is heartwarming, of course, and we potatoes love seeing them unite, but it also gently sidesteps the depth of responsibility the story sets up. In the end, Mr. Fox remains just a bit too self-assured for our taste, and we found that more irritating than endearing.

What we would have liked to see is Mr. Fox’s charm fail him. A situation that allows him to see, clearly and painfully, the ripple effects of his choices. We hoped for him to truly face the concepts that passion is not necessarily purpose, that his ego does not have to be his identity, and that disregarding everyone else’s safety is not the correct answer in the midst of a mid-life crisis. We would have liked to see genuine redemption. Not easy redemption, not a quick fix, but real growth. The kind that requires humility, accountability, and a willingness to be better than the legend we cling to.

In a world that celebrates bold arrogance, and ambition without considering the cost, Fantastic Mr. Fox should be the perfect protagonist. But we potatoes noticed something deeper within the subtext. Mr. Fox reminds us that chasing your dreams is not wrong, and wanting more from life is not a flaw. But ignoring the needs, boundaries, and safety of the people around you is where the harm lies. Recognizing that harm, owning it, and choosing differently is one of the most profound forms of courage.

It is a story that says your wildness, your creativity, and your yearning do not need to be extinguished. They need direction, care, and balance. They need a recognition that the relationships you build are just as meaningful as the adventures you crave. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is redefine “fantastic” to include accountability, gentleness, and responsibility.

Mr. Fox is not a perfect person; he is flawed and he makes mistakes. But we would have liked to see him look inward, more so than just a surface-level “Who am I?” and really look toward growth and accountability. It felt like there were many opportunities for him to do that, but instead, he goes back to what he knows best: being charming, lying, and talking his way out of trouble.

Despite our annoyances with the story, the film resonates with a dry, dark sense of humor that feels almost like it’s meant for adults rather than children. But that is part of the charm! Back in 2009, there really weren’t many animated movies, let alone stop-motion films, that truly catered to adults. So we can see why it flew under the radar.

Even though the movie feels more for adults, it does a pretty good job of keeping it in that PG range, tame enough for children to watch. The fact that everyone in the film, human and animal alike, doesn’t actually swear, but instead says “cuss” in place of common swear words, speaks to this. On paper it sounds completely ridiculous, but in practice it’s hilarious and kid-friendly! We potatoes even find ourselves saying “What the cuss?” or “Are you cussin’ with me?” every now and again!

We potatoes also cannot ignore how relevant it feels to see the wealthy hoarding food and using their power to squeeze an entire community. And while Mr. Fox creates a lot of his own chaos, the rest of the animals are doing their best in systems designed to keep them small. Their resilience hits harder than his ego ever could.

It is a reminder that survival is never about one charismatic hero. It is about the people who dig with you. The ones who problem solve when everything collapses. The ones who choose community even when the powerful would rather keep everyone hungry and afraid.

Sometimes the only way to escape the grip of the powerful is to dig together. Literally!

With all that said, this movie truly is such a great time! The dry, witty humor, stop-motion animation, and performances that are well beyond what we potatoes would have expected from a little 2009 kids’ film. The story is silly and ridiculous, but there is some depth if you’re willing to look.

Visually, Fantastic Mr. Fox is breathtaking! The stop-motion is textured, warm, tactile, and bursting with autumn color. Every frame feels handcrafted. Every stitch in the fur matters. The cozy oranges, russets, and browns make it feel like curling up under a blanket with cider warming your hands. It’s whimsical, but melancholic. Funny, but thoughtful. Playful, but quietly sad.

And the soundtrack? Pure perfection. Cute, cozy, and just the right autumn vibes.

We potatoes love the casting! The performances were brilliant! Special shout-out to Michael Gambon as Franklin Bean, the lean, mean cider machine! His simultaneously dry and unhinged character could not have been voiced by anyone else. In fact, the entire cast was well done! You’ll definitely notice several big actors’ voices that you’ll recognize, including Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, and Owen Wilson, just to name a few.

Is Fantastic Mr. Fox perfect? Maybe not. It wobbles here and there, and some of the emotional beats creep quietly instead of landing with force. But that is part of its charm. It is imperfect in a sincere and vulnerable way. It is a story about flawed people doing their best in a hostile world. A story about wildness, love, pride, insecurity, and community.

So, if it has been a while since you scampered through this autumn-tinted little world of burrows and bandit hats, or you have yet to do so, consider this your cozy invitation! We potatoes highly recommend it! Settle in with some cider, laugh at the absurdity, and let yourself sink into the moments when the mischief softens and the heart of the story peeks through.

Cheers to pretty much everyone but Mr. Fox and the farmers! To Mrs. Fox for her ungodly levels of patience, to Ash for his determination, to Kristofferson for his kindness, and of course, cheers to you! You do not need to be perfect to be fantastic. You only need to be you.

Now, let us raise our cider, fluff our tails, and scamper into the night!

We give Fantastic Mr. Fox 4 alcoholic ciders out of 5!

The Fantastic Mr. Fox Drinking Game

Take a sip anytime:

1.     Anyone says “Different”

2.     Anyone says “athlete”

3.     Anyone says “Boggis”, “Bunce”, or “Bean” (One drink if all said together)

4.     Anyone says “Bandit Hat” or wears a bandit hat\

5.     Anyone says “Cuss”

6.     Anyone says “Cider”,” Squab”, or “Chicken”

7.     Anyone says “Whack-Bat”

8.     Mr. Fox whistles

9.     Mr. Fox lies

10.  Mrs. Fox sighs

11.  Kylie zones out

12.  Ash spits

13.  Kristofferson is kind

14.  Tom-foolery on screen

What did you think? Did you like the movie? Did you hate it? What movies should we watch? Any and all thoughts are welcome! Let us know in the comments!

Do you like this drinking game? Are there rules missing? Is the game too intense? Are there movies that you think we should make a drinking game for? Let us know in the comments and always remember to be safe and drink responsibly! (Drinks can be water, soda, anything nonalcoholic, etc. Please be safe, have fun and take care of you!)