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Throughout this animated journey for preteens, the fairy community focuses on collecting baby teeth of slumbering children and leaving gold under their pillows. Skateboarding teenage rebel fairy Van (voiced by Booboo Stewart) is less than thrilled about devoting his life to gathering baby teeth—a sentiment that’s entirely reasonable. He is just slightly more curious about the financial workings behind it all: the fairies deliver the teeth to mysterious goblins, who provide metal as payment. However, Van’s interest is piqued when he spots a goblin (voiced by Larkin Bell), who proves to be far from the ugly gnome he had imagined.

A Forbidden Connection and Common Enemy

Everything is prepared for an adventure with a gentle touch of teen romance (though it’s perfectly appropriate for children). The fairy and goblin groups are estranged from each other, and there’s nothing like the excitement of secrecy to bring people together. The two species portrayed in the film are remarkably alike, yet both maintain biased views about the opposite side. The fairies are said to be entitled types, prone to taking whatever they fancy, while goblins are reportedly dim-witted, smelly, and primitive, but are actually intelligent and technologically advanced.

Of course, this scenario needs a shared foe to unite against, and this is duly provided by a group of vicious spiders, with voices by Jon Lovitz and Fran Drescher. There’s no beating about the bush with these guys: they aim to devour the goblins and fairies, and they make for quite savage, if not especially competent, villains.

Ideal Viewers and Overall Impression

You won’t find very many children’s animations aimed at the kind of audience that is starting to experience early romances, but are not mature enough for the content 14-year-olds are watching in lieu of Twilight. If your child falls into this age group, it probably won’t to become their new favorite movie, but you could do worse.

The Tooth Fairy Story releases in Scottish cinemas starting October 10 and across the United Kingdom from 24 October.