This family-friendly movie was created in the beautiful city of Copenhagen, a city I had the great pleasure of visiting a few years ago. A ten-year-old girl moves with her family to a new city. She sets up her small detective agency in their basement. This animated children's film is written and directed by Karla von Bengtson. Next time, I'd love her to ask me to help her write a better script.

It appears that the movie was released in 2017 in Danish and has taken this long to hit the English-speaking market. Tri-Coast Entertainment invited me to a press screening and I wish I could give a more positive review. It had potential but there are several elements that make it less appealing for an American market.

TIPS FOR PARENTS: Talk to your kids about who the real Agatha Christie was. The protagonist's character's name is Agatha Christine. Some profanity, which was really surprising because the target audience for this movie is kids. Talk to your kids about shoplifting and dishonesty. Pets Young kids will probably enjoy it, especially those who enjoy mysteries and sleuthing.

THEMES: "Everyone needs friends...or at least good friends." - Mom Self-doubt Honesty Reputation Friendship

THINGS I LIKED: It's cute that the main Danish family is blonde. Of course, not all Danes are blonde, but I did see some really tall, beautiful blondes while I was there! It's easy for kids to see when Agatha Christine (A.C.) is daydreaming about her spy life and using her imagination because everything is in black and white. Agatha Christine is a likable character and you want her to succeed. Fans of Nancy Drew books might get a kick out of the story. The animation is very simple. American audiences have been really spoiled with excellent animation from the likes of Pixar. Still, it's charming and not too distracting.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: Maybe it's better in Danish. The dialogue and voice acting in English aren't very good. There's a talking lizard whose voice is terrible. It's never explained why he can talk or where he came from. When he was just an egg, Agatha showed it a lot of love and care, but when it actually hatched into a creature, she was totally annoyed by it. In turn, the lizard trash-talks and threatens her. In the end, there was absolutely no resolution and the lizard, which grew to look like a big Komodo dragon, just disappeared from the plot. Bizarre. There's no explanation about where Agatha's dad is or what happened to him. The mom says, "I have dreamed for this day for a long time: my daughter has a boyfriend!" It seems odd that a parent would encourage a pre-pubescent romantic relationship for her daughter. Maybe it was just poorly translated, but the title isn't accurate. The boy that the mystery is about lives across the street, not next door. There isn't much humor.

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Agathe-Christine: Next Door Spy is totally unique! The different style of this animated film from Denmark is not traditional, so it makes the film stand out. The storyline of the film is not like other animated films, either. Although the movie has some definite faults, it is sure to be a knockout because of its lead character Agathe-Christine (voiced by Simone Edemann Mogelbjerg).

This film centers around Agathe-Christine, a young girl who recently moved into a new neighborhood. Agathe, however, is not a standard girl of her age (10). She dreams of being a detective. As robberies occur in the town's kiosk, she takes the opportunity to uncover the mystery and prove she is a great detective.

Agathe, or AC, brings wonderful female power to the screen. She's brave and does not let anyone tell her what she can and cannot do. When the going gets tough, she stands strong and continues to prove that she can crack the case. She's very intelligent and creative, not letting her age drag her down. She proves that age is just a number and that the sky's the limit. She's a total powerhouse, and a character every young girl deserves to see in a film.

As for the film's faults, some of the characters are weak-Agathe is really the only strong character. The others are very obnoxious. Her mother is annoying and Agathe's pet, Varanen, is incredibly irritating. Their dialogue is a cookie cutter example of overly-simplified animated films for younger audiences.

The message of the film is to never let anyone give you boundaries, and that you can do anything you set your mind to. Agathe sticks to this message throughout the entire movie. . I give this film 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 10 to 15. There are some tiny warnings for this film. A few strong words are used, however, there are not any strong or sensitive topics dealt with.

Reviewed by Heather S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. For more reviews by youth, visit kidsfirst dot org.