Robin Robin

A cute and quirky little tale, Robin Robin is a very warm winter welcome. It’s a simple story set at Christmas time about family, belonging and finding one’s place in the great big world. The premise follows a group of mice who adopt a young Robin. In the present day, during their winter haul, the clumsy little Robin causes some mischief and trouble, leading to a lack of food for the cold season. Being that she’s a bird and not a mouse, she has difficulties understanding what exactly makes her different from the rest of her nest. She then goes off on an adventure to try and redeem herself, making friends and wishes along the way.

Everything about this stop-motion brilliance tugs at the heartstrings and warms the soul. Its central trope is one that has been done time and time again, yet still, it remains effective here in uplifting emotions, especially as it’s incorporated into a tale for Christmas.  Any cliché can turn sour if not done right, but, fortunately, Robin Robin is short enough not to overextend the familiar plot. It also embraces in its storytelling the intricacies only stop-motion filmmaking can offer.

Soft and intimate tones are set by the visuals and audio. Everything is very sensory, focusing on sound effects and reflective graphics that create atmosphere. From filters, focus on the weather and nature-bound settings, there’s a heavy emphasis on time and environment. Fantastic colours really emulate how vast the animals’ little world is: every corner has its own designated hue, and the overall feature is not constrained to one type of palette.

A particularly detailed aspect of the picture is the expressive eyes: Robin’s are wide and bright, which is reflective of her innocence, as well as the denial hid within them. On the other hand, the cat’s eyes are large and slit, a balance of frightening and mischievous. Another invaluable highlight are the short musical numbers, which use props to create imagery and symbolism, further enhancing the narrative. 

There’s just so much heart and detail imbued into this short stop-motion film. It’s very easy to love, and a great way to start the 2021 Christmas season.

Mae Trumata

Robin Robin is released on Netflix on 24^th November 2021.

Watch the trailer for Robin Robin here: