Jack and the Beanstalk (2009 film)

Lore & Background

The film follows Jack Thatcher (Colin Ford), a student at a fairy tale school who must perform a heroic deed or flunk out. He sells a valuable possession for magic beans that grow into a giant beanstalk overnight. One bean is eaten by the family goose Grayson, turning him into a mostly human man (voiced by Gilbert Gottfried). Jack and Grayson climb the beanstalk to rescue Destiny (Madison Davenport), a little girl transformed into a harp by an evil giant. The story includes references to other fairy tale characters and contemporary elements.

Reader's Guide

The film premiered at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills on November 6, 2009, and later screened at the Newport Beach Film Festival on April 24, 2010, before its DVD release by Screen Media Films on May 11, 2010. Critical reception was mixed: Tracy Moore of Common Sense Media called it 'goofy fun' (3/5 stars), while MovieGuide praised its charm but noted 'occasional toilet humor and slapstick comedy' (3/4 stars). Sloan Freer of Radio Times deemed it a 'charmless take' and lamented James Earl Jones's wasted voice. Jason Best of What's on TV wrote that it 'seeks to emulate the playful wit of The Princess Bride but falls woefully short,' citing flat direction. Donna Rolfe of The Dove Foundation called it 'a charming fairy tale with encouraging values.' Netflix's DVD.com rated it a 'family-friendly comedy' at 3⅓ out of 5 stars. The film's legacy is as a direct-to-video fantasy that drew a notable cast but received divided reviews.

Did You Know?

• The film stars James Earl Jones as the voice of the giant.
• Gilbert Gottfried voices Grayson, a goose turned into a mostly human man after eating a magic bean.
• Chloë Grace Moretz appears in the ensemble cast.

Plot & Narrative Structure

Rather than following the traditional orphan-sells-cow formula, this 2009 adaptation reimagines the classic tale through the lens of a young student named Jack Thatcher, who faces an academic deadline: complete a heroic deed or be expelled from fairy tale school. To meet this challenge, Jack trades a treasured family possession for a handful of enchanted beans, which sprout into a towering beanstalk by morning. Adding a comedic twist, one of those beans is accidentally swallowed by the family goose, Grayson, who is transformed into a mostly human-man. Together, Jack and his newly anthropomorphized companion scale the stalk, driven by Jack's desire to live up to his father's legendary reputation. Their ascent leads them into a perilous upper world where they must rescue a young girl named Destiny, who has been cursed into the form of a harp by a malevolent giant. The screenplay weaves in nods to other well-known fairy tale figures alongside modern pop-culture references, giving the story a layered, self-aware quality that distinguishes it from more straightforward retellings.

Ensemble Cast & Creative Vision

Gary J. Tunnicliffe helmed this American fantasy adventure comedy, assembling a notably large ensemble that blends veteran character actors with young performers. At the center sits Colin Ford as the young hero, supported by a roster that includes Gilbert Gottfried, Christopher Lloyd, Chloë Grace Moretz, Wallace Shawn, Katey Sagal, James Karen, Daniel Roebuck, Madison Davenport, Chevy Chase, and James Earl Jones. The sheer breadth of recognizable names suggests a production that leaned heavily on star power to attract family audiences. Gottfried takes on the physically comedic role of the transformed goose, while Jones lends his famous baritone to the villainous giant. The casting strategy pairs established comedic voices with child leads, creating a dynamic where seasoned performers can play off the younger cast. This approach mirrors the tradition of ensemble-driven family films where no single actor dominates the screen and the collective chemistry carries the narrative forward.

Release & Distribution Path

The film's journey to audiences followed a modest, festival-to-shelf trajectory rather than a wide theatrical rollout. Its world premiere took place at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills on November 6, 2009, a venue known for hosting independent and specialty screenings. Five months later, on April 24, 2010, the picture was programmed at the Newport Beach Film Festival, giving it a second public showcase in a coastal California setting. The eventual consumer release came through Screen Media Films, which put the title on DVD in the United States on May 11, 2010. This distribution pattern—festival premieres followed by a direct-to-DVD home video launch—was common for mid-budget family comedies of that era that did not secure a major studio theatrical window. The absence of a wide cinema run meant that most viewers first encountered the film in living rooms, which shaped how it was marketed and received as a casual family entertainment option rather than a cultural event.

Critical Reception & Legacy

Reviews of the film painted a picture of a production that divided audiences along the lines of tone and ambition. On the positive end, Tracy Moore of Common Sense Media described it as "goofy fun" and awarded three out of five stars, while Donna Rolfe of The Dove Foundation praised its encouraging values and colorful characters as suitable for whole-family viewing. MovieGuide's reviewer, though noting that the sets and costumes could feel hokey and that slapstick moments occasionally undercut the story's charm, still recommended it with three out of four stars. On the other side, Sloan Freer of Radio Times called it a "charmless take" and specifically lamented that James Earl Jones's rich vocal talent was squandered on an underwhelming giant. Jason Best of What's on TV drew an unfavorable comparison to The Princess Bride, criticizing Tunnicliffe's "flat direction" for robbing the talented cast of any opportunity to shine. Netflix's DVD.com settled in the middle, labeling it a "family-friendly comedy" and giving it 3.1 out of 5 stars.