4/5 They did a good job with this!
  by Karen K. Hart (Austin, MN United States)
I was probably Samantha's age when I got into the American Girls books, and now I'm closer to Aunt Cornelia's age, which is a little mind-boggling to me. I wasn't expecting much from this movie, but I really liked it, and my husband did too. Some of the actors are better than others, but AnnaSophia Robb really carries her role. If her hair color were as convincing as her acting, it would be easy to get lost in the moment. Mia Farrow, Jordan Bridges, and Rebecca Mader all do a great job, as well.
I did notice some odd little plot changes and wonder why they were there. Was Jessie's storyline cut because of time restrictions? Was it impossible to include non-Nellie-related adventures? Did we really see, in the movie, how important Lydia (the doll) was to Samantha and how significant it was to give her away? And wasn't the jar stolen from Eddie Ryland originally full of bugs rather than coins?
Most of my issues with the movie are based on my having read the books rather than on the movie itself (although I do wonder why the girls can't pronounce "da"!), and the movie can stand on its own--it's that good. The whole family can enjoy a movie like this together; although the DVD extras do seem to be aimed at the younger portion of the family audience, they are interesting for even adults to watch once. I hope there are more American Girls movies to look forward to in the future.

5/5 Heart-Warming and Really Cute
  by SereneNight (California, USA)
I'm a big fan of period drama, and while Samantha- An American Girl Holiday, is clearly geared towards girls, I found myself really enjoying this film, and I'm an adult! This follows the adventures of Samantha- an orphan who lives with her strict Grandmother GrandMarie in Upper New York. She befriends a young Irish girl who was hired to be a maid for a next door neighbor. Samantha's friendship with Nellie was very well portrayed, and all the characters- included Sam's aunt and uncle were great.

This is a fun classic for those who want a warm, feel-good story to perk up those winter months, or to share with your kids or other kids at heart! I certainly hope they make more books in this series as this film was wonderul and entertaining! Five Stars.

5/5 A Must Have!
  by Campbell (Maryland)
My 6 year old daughter has read all of the Samantha adventures, and was excited to get this movie as a gift. It is a nice story with all the books woven together. The acting, scenery, costuming, and music are all first rate and true to the American Girl line. Most importantly, it is wonderful to have a movie that captivates children and has such wonderful lessons of kindness, giving, standing up for what you believe, and sacrificing for others. It's very hard to find true gems like this among all the trash they make for girls these days. As a mom, I am so grateful that there are people still willing to make quality movies with traditional values for young girls today. This is definatly a must have for any girl age 6-12.

5/5 All-Around Great Wholesome Movie
  by Lisa (Southern California)
We first saw this when it debuted on tv. After sitting through the entire movie and being entranced by it, my girls actually imitated the politeness of Samantha and the other girls. They answered "Yes, Ma'am" or "No Ma'am". It was so refreshing to see a movie for the kids that was fun for them to watch and taught them some history about that time period. When it was first released on DVD, I bought it. My girls still love watching it. Recently, we picked up the 6 book set of Samantha books. They are anxious to get started on the books since they already know the characters. Had I been introduced to the American Girls Series as a kid, I would have definitely had an interest in learning History/Social Studies. But since I'll be reading the books to my girls, I guess it's never too late to learn....

4/5 Watch the Movie; Read the Books
  by V. Baskerville
A mere week after the premiere of "Samantha-An American Girl Holiday," I may have seen the movie more than anyone in the world. We taped it for our 8-year-old but, while she's at school, our 2-year-old repeatedly asks to watch "Amackan Girl." So, watch it we do. This movie is a must see for the American Girl in your household. Technically, it's not particularly good, but your children will not notice the bad acting. Instead, they'll take home the movie's lessons and empathize with the girls in the movie.
Rebecca Mader as Cornelia far and away does the best job of re-creating the character we meet in the books (and her acting is the best in the show). But, poor Mia Farrow doesn't have a chance to embody her book counterpart; screen Grandmary was written as a far less stern (and far younger) presence than print Grandmary. I think the print Grandmary better portrays the way women were in 1904.
So, do yourself a favor: Don't let your children miss this movie, but please read the books!