Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
The unlikely friendship of a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse traveling together in the boy's search for home.
This short animated film is visually stunning with its hand-drawn watercolor aesthetic that is genuinely exceptional and immediately distinctive. However, its plot is intentionally minimal and episodic — a series of gentle philosophical exchanges rather than a structured narrative, which is charming but thin. The voice performances are warm and well-suited to the material. Its novelty lies in its faithful and beautifully realized adaptation of Charlie Mackesy's illustrated book, maintaining that intimate, sketchbook quality on screen, though it doesn't radically reinvent the animation short form. The ending is quietly moving but understated, consistent with the film's gentle tone throughout.