Classic

Rating: 6/10 (15 June 2003)

How can you not root for Harry Potter? In one scene, we establish him as the 2nd saddest child in cinematic history (the saddest being Charlie from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory): seeing a kid drawing his own birthday cake in dirt. My God, I was practically traumatized watching this. The first 30 minutes of child abuse was crushing my poor heart, and then the cake scene. I honestly wouldn't have objected to Harry becoming a hatchet murderer at that point--you couldn't have made me side against him. So, to witness him go on and discover his roots in magic, and actually find happiness in that world? I was all for it....but I still wanted to beat the tar out of the Dursleys.