Parents' Guide to

Heidi (2015)

By Renee Schonfeld, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Enjoyable, beautiful, warmhearted remake of classic tale.

Movie NR 2015 111 minutes
Heidi (2015) Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 7+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Clare D
Clare D Parent of 5, 6 and 8-year-old
April 14, 2019
age 6+

Picturesque and heart warming

My 5 year old really struggled with the themes of abandonment and home sickness and needed lots of reassuring throughout this film. She cried and shouted with tears of anger, but then also relief and happiness! My 6 year old was very distressed at the goat slaughter, but coped fine with the rest. My 8 year old took it all in her stride and really enjoyed it. I loved the book as a child and remember the TV series, just about. The film is good and covers the main aspects of the story, but fails to get the amazing descriptiveness of the environments and the foods, the sights and the smells, the friendships and the emotions anywhere near the book. Which is to be expected. It's still beautiful though - worth a watch!
Andy Sweet
Andy Sweet Parent of 8-year-old
August 19, 2018
age 7+

Adults and kids enjoyed greatly

We were pleasantly surprised at the warmth and beauty of this movie. Adults had seen the Shirley Temple version and were uncertain we would enjoy this one. We felt the story was beautifully told and shown. Good role models of friendships and intergenerational love. Some characters are overly simplistic or stereotypical, but that works for children. We watched dubbed version which was occasionally distracting but overall done very well.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In HEIDI (2015), with no warning, Aunt Dete (Anna Schinz) drops her niece, 8-year-old orphaned Heidi (a delightful Anuk Steffen), at the isolated, rough log cabin mountain home of her reluctant grandfather (Bruno Ganz). The old man, held in contempt and fear by nearby villagers, is furious and orders them away. But Dete persists, abandoning the little girl. Befriending Peter (Quirrin Agrippi), a young goatherd, Heidi learns to love the austere alpine life and soon wins the hearts of her grandfather and the villagers. Months later, Aunt Dete returns. Filled with remorse at leaving Heidi behind, the woman has secured a new place for the girl as companion to a wheelchair-bound Klara (Isabelle Ottmann), daughter of a wealthy widowed Frankfurt businessman in their lavish home. Heidi, despite being unable to read or write and ignorant of the many niceties and manners necessary in such an environment, once again wins over the household staff with her spirited nature. Klara adores her, and the two become great allies. Only Klara's governess, the uptight Fraulein Rottenmeier (Katharina Schuttler), who runs the home during the owner's long absences, mistreats her new charge. Still, Heidi, once again deposited in an unfamiliar place without a choice, grows more and more homesick, hoping for even a glimpse of the mountains she left behind. In a stroke of good fortune, Heidi's unhappiness comes to the attention of another grandparent, Klara's caring, compassionate Grandmother Sesemann (Hannalore Hoger). With the good woman's help, Heidi is able to return to her true home and, in the process, bring joy, hope, and even a little magic to everyone involved.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (2 ):

Gorgeously photographed, with wonderful performances and artful direction, this production honors the spirit, intent, and gratifying story created by Johanna Spyri in her classic 1880 children's book. From the opening scenes, director Alain Gsponer's lush version of the story reveals his command both of a long-ago time and place and of filmmaking designed to evoke strong emotions and accessibility. Heidi (2015) is the most recent film adaptation of the story, following numerous movies for theaters and television, the most well-known of which is the 1937 Heidi, starring Shirley Temple. Anuk Steffen makes this Heidi her own; her performance is flawless and endearing. Bruno Ganz, a much-honored German actor, delivers a nuanced Grandfather. It appears that the dubbed version of the DVD is the most readily available in the U.S., but the subtitled film is a solid entry for strong readers. This film is highly recommended.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the differences between Heidi's life in the mountains and her stay in Frankfurt. What, specifically, did she miss about her home with her grandfather? What were the positive results of her time at Klara's house?

  • How did the filmmakers use the simple ritual of eating meals with family as a means of showing the vast disparity between Heidi's two homes? What other symbols did they use to heighten those disparities (clothing, windows)?

  • Why did Peter destroy Klara's wheelchair? Did you agree with Heidi's decision to so easily forgive him? Why, or why not?

  • Even though we are aware that people who are confined to wheelchairs can't simply get up and walk, we accept it as part of this story. The filmmakers tried to prepare the audience for this event when Heidi went to Frankfurt. Can you remember what specific moment indicated that Klara's recovery might be a possibility? (Hint: It had to do with Klara's history and the emotional component of her condition.)

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