REVIEW: ‘Ernest and Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia’ Is A Charming Follow Up

As was the case with its predecessor, the 2012 Oscar-nominated Ernest and Celestine directed by Stéphane Aubier, Vincent Patar, and Benjamin Renner, its sequel, Ernest and Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia is a whimsical exploration of found family. Following the story of an eager mouse, Celestine (Pauline Brenner), and her friend, the cantankerous bear, Ernest (Lambert Wilson), the two have found themselves in a domestic rhythm since the events of the first film with “A Trip to Gibberitia” taking them away from the warmth and comfort of their home. 

Ernest and Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia, this time directed by Jean-Christopher Roger and Julien Chheng, follows the two as they make the voyage to Ernest’s land, Charabia after his violin is damaged and they must seek its original creator to repair it. The journey ends up being more than what they bargained with, when they discover his land, once joyous and overflowing with music, has put a ban on music — aside from the C note. That, plus their run-in with his parents, threatens the bear and mouse friendship. 

The film finds clever and quietly comical ways to highlight the towns’ frustration with the music ban. From a bear playing the singular C note on the piano, all of the other keys having been removed, to townspeople humming along with birdsongs, music is still present, even if those in positions of authority wish to squash its influence. There’s a revolution brewing, and it’s all in support of artistic integrity and the need for self-expression. 

Based on a series of children’s books of the same name by author and illustrator Gabrielle Vincent, the film never veers too dark. Instead, it digs into the pains of leaving home and returning after having found a chosen family, and the expectations that come from who raised you. With its PG rating, it’s a reminder that animated movies — kids and family movies — don’t have to dumb down a storyline or resort to over-the-top narrative beats and non-stop visual and verbal gags for entertainment. “A Trip to Gibberitia” is demonstrative of the movement and engagement available through the medium without adhering to an American rule book of animated films. 

The tension is character based and it’s resolved through mutual respect and understanding. Those details in the character building are mirrored in the animation which is overwhelmingly lush. We see this right from the start, at Ernest and Celestine’s countryside home, which exudes warmth. From the exterior which is rendered as if borne from a sunbeam, to the interior with the notes of familiarity and lived-in comfort, the flowers adorning the walls maintaining the naturalistic aesthetic, the animation style delivers a classical yet timeless effect. 

And it’s not just the picturesque moments that deliver this beauty. A bus ride at night delivers the same level of depth, as the trees that line the paths play with shadows and light, casting an ominous atmosphere against Celestine’s lone, small, figure. Later, as Ernest dances through the town of Charabia, mimicking playing the saxophone, the direction is kinetic, lyrical even, as it captures that movement with a musical rhythmic flow. 

That dexterity is aided by the watercolor effect and vice versa, a film that understands how to marry music and animation so that the sensory impact is in tandem. The playful jauntiness of the score adds to the overall feeling of the story and our experience watching it being removed from time. 

This charm and the lovable nature of the two main characters do a lot of the heavy lifting. The film is much more episodic than its predecessor, befitting its storybook origins. And while it might not reach the sheer emotional highs of Ernest and Celestine, it never falters. At only 80 minutes, the film never overstays its welcome and only manages to further enrich this world. 

Ernest and Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia beautifully builds on the 2012 film with intricate detail, artistry, and character development. Ernest and Celestine make for an odd couple pair, but their friendship and the home they’ve found in one another’s companionship remain a moving and poignant storytelling structure that understands that a chosen family is as significant as the one you are born into. That, plus the film’s determined approach to the necessity of artistic freedom creates a story whose strong viewpoints create a clever dissonance with softer edges. The film’s empathy and warmth are visualized with fuzzy landscapes and autumnal colors, and the result is a stunning, storybook-inspired film that honors classical, hand-drawn animation. 

Ernest and Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia is available in limited theaters.