--- title: "Little Amélie or the Character of Rain: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain" critics_score: 79 critics_reviews: 16 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (2025): what the critics said Critics' score 79 from 16 reviews: 15 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews are strongly positive, with praise clustering around the painterly animation and its ability to make childhood discovery feel immediate. Critics repeatedly pick out the watercolour-like images, expressive colours and a world seen from a toddler’s still-forming perspective. Most also admire the emotional balance: the film’s sweetness leaves space for grief, traumatic history and adult realities. Amélie’s personality and her bond with Nishio draw further praise for giving the visual invention emotional weight. The spread is fairly narrow, with reservations qualifying the enthusiasm rather than overturning it. Variety finds the toddler’s unusual worldview occasionally difficult to grasp, despite admiring the animation and the central relationship. There is also some disagreement over the likely audience. The Hollywood Reporter questions how child-friendly the serious themes are, while Deadline sees the treatment of history, life and death as suited to sensitive adults and sophisticated children alike. ## Empire — Jordan King Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 13 February 2026. The critic finds it a rapturous, emotionally balanced celebration of childhood. They single out its soft, painterly animation and especially praise a standout scene explaining wartime bombings through a rice cooker. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain/) ## Los Angeles Times — Carlos Aguilar Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 7 November 2025. Aguilar calls the film beautiful, life-affirming and emotionally mature. He praises how its animation turns a child’s perspective into imaginative, affecting images. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-11-07/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain-review-animation-liane-cho-han-mailys-vallade) ## The Observer — Wendy Ide Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 14 February 2026. Ide gives the film a strongly positive verdict, calling it poetic and strikingly beautiful. She singles out its shimmering watercolour-like animation and sensory portrayal of childhood discovery. [Read the review](https://observer.co.uk/culture/film/article/wendy-ides-pick-of-other-films-the-presidents-cake-crime-101-looney-tunes-and-more) ## The AV Club — Jacob Oller Rating B+. 30 October 2025. Oller praises the film as a vivid, whimsical coming-of-age story with a magic all its own. He singles out its colorful, impressionistic animation and its ability to filter traumatic history through a toddler’s perspective. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain-review) ## Little White Lies — David Jenkins Rating 3/4/4. 13 February 2026. Jenkins calls it a dazzling, impressive film that sensitively explores childhood. He praises its vibrant colours, expressive character design and lyrical animation. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/little-amelie) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 11 February 2026. Bradshaw finds the animation tender, sweet and poignant in its portrayal of early childhood. He particularly praises its charming blend of European and Japanese animation styles and its final sequence. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/feb/11/little-amelie-review-tender-and-poignant-study-of-the-fragility-of-early-childhood) ## Time Out — Olly Richards Rating 4/5. 10 February 2026. The review calls the animation a pint-sized joy. It praises the wisdom packed into a story about a very little life. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain-review-2026) ## IndieWire — David Ehrlich Rating B. 10 September 2025. Festival review. Ehrlich praises the film as a splendid, visually arresting coming-of-age story that balances discovery with grief. He singles out its vivid animation and childlike rendering of how the world first appears to a young girl. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain-movie-review-1235150260/) ## Slant Magazine — Jake Cole Rating 3/4. 25 October 2025. Cole finds the film a light, charming coming-of-age story with an elegiac undertow. He praises its watercolor-inspired animation for conveying Amélie’s still-forming perspective and her closeness with Nishio. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain-review/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Jordan Mintzer Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 16 October 2025. Mintzer finds the film a charming, uplifting balance of childhood fantasy and adult realities, though its serious themes may not always feel child-friendly. He praises its vivid, watercolor-like animation and the sensory wonder it brings to Amélie’s discoveries. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain-review-charmingly-sensorial-french-animation-flick-depicts-early-childhood-as-magical-and-hauntingly-real-1236395641/) ## Screen Daily — Jonathan Holland Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 20 May 2025. Festival review. The standfirst presents the animation as charming. It singles out its adaptation of Amélie Nothomb’s memoir, though the review’s full verdict is inaccessible. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/little-amelie-review-life-in-1960s-japan-through-the-eyes-of-a-belgian-toddler/5204814.article) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 5 July 2025. Debruge finds the film enchanting, though its unusual toddler’s worldview can be difficult to grasp. He praises the distinctive minimalist animation and the emotional depth that develops through Amélie’s bond with Nishio-san. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain-review-1236447627/) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 30 October 2025. The review page could not be accessed, so its verdict is unavailable. The article’s specific praise or criticism cannot be verified. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/30/movies/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain-review.html) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 13 June 2025. Festival review. The critic calls the film astoundingly wonderful and says it deserves to stand alongside major studio productions. They single out its painterly, dreamlike animation and its deeply moving perspective on Amélie’s life. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/little-amelie-review-annecy/) ## Deadline — Damon Wise Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 14 June 2025. Festival review. Wise finds the film a nuanced, darkly delightful meditation on life and death, suited to both sensitive adults and sophisticated children. He praises its handmade pastel animation and its thoughtful treatment of Japanese history and grief. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2025/06/little-amelie-review-awards-buzz-annecy-festival-1236434168/) ## Eye for Film — Jennie Kermode Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 15 December 2025. Kermode finds the film distinctive and suggests its awards prospects may surprise. She particularly praises Amélie’s unforgettable personality and the animation’s distinctive look. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/little-amelie-2025-film-review-by-jennie-kermode) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain.md