The Tigger Movie

Jeffrey M. Anderson started his review by saying, “My wife and I are huge fans of the A.A. Milne "Winnie-the-Pooh" books and of the original movie The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (released in 1968). But Tigger is not my favorite character. So although I was looking forward to The Tigger Movie with some trepidation, I was pleasantly surprised with the result.”

Despite this not being the best of the films, “The Tigger Movie,” released in 2000, succeeds with the story it tells. Ever since this was theatrically released, the filmmakers felt it was needed to include a few large “money shots” that feel out of place. Anderson noted, “One is a crafty musical number called "Round My Family Tree" that looks like something out of "Animaniacs," and the other is a loud avalanche sequence. (Animation fans should take heart: the work on this film is top-notch, unlike the current "Pooh" cartoon that runs on Saturday mornings.) But the overall content and tone of the movie left me feeling fine.”

Everyone knows Tigger’s theme song, where the last line goes “the most wonderful thing about Tiggers is that I’m the only one.” In “The Tigger Movie,” Tigger, voiced by Jim Cummings, decides that is actually not a wonderful thing. He starts to yearn for his own family, other Tiggers that he can bond with. The rest of the characters in the Hundred-Acre Wood (Pooh, Piglet, Owl, Rabbit, Kanga & Roo, and Eyeore) decide to make him feel better by writing a letter to him from his “family.” However, Tigger mistakenly thinks they’re coming to visit him, which puts the rest of the characters in a bad situation.

Anderson said, “The thing that really struck me about the movie was its theme of family.” The characters in the film are like a family despite the fact that none of them are blood related (except for Kanga and Roo). In one scene, Roo asks his mother why he can’t have a brother like Tigger. Kanga says that Roo does have a brother like Tigger – Tigger himself. Anderson said, “The other thing that struck me, and this is the reason I love these characters so much, is that they act like a real family. Each of the characters have different sides, especially the annoying and deplorable sides. I mean, really, who would want to spend any time with Eyeore (Peter Cullen), who constantly complains?” For the other characters: Owl (Andre Stojka) goes on with his boring speeches, Rabbit (Ken Sansom) is arrogant and bossy, Tigger is inconsiderate and causes a mess, Pooh (Cummings) is selfish, Piglet (John Fiedler) is easily frightened, Kanga (Kate Soucie) is overly protective, and Roo (Nikita Hopkins) is a curious child. However, they’re each part of the family, so we love them anyway, and undeniably.

After spending 75 minutes with our favorite characters, the message we’re left with is not only to love your family, but also that anyone you love can be part of your family as well. Anderson ended his review by saying, “And that, coupled with superior animation, is certainly better than whatever message the insipid Pokemon is delivering to kids.”

I got this from the library a long time ago, but I rewatched it on Disney+ because I didn't remember this very well. This is another feel-good Winnie the Pooh movie that the whole family can sit down and watch together, especially with the message on family. If you’re a Pooh fan, you will absolutely love this film, I promise. You will be left with a good feeling after watching this, like you would after watching any Winnie the Pooh film.

Check in tomorrow for the next Winnie the Pooh film I will look at in “Disney Month 2020.”