Watched this with my 3 year old at christmas and she was gripped from the start until the end. She loved the story and couldn't believe when the tiger ate and drank all the food and drink. She said at the end she hopes he doesn't come and do that at our house lol. Was well done, I watched it with her and found it to be very watchable and thoroughly enjoyed it.
21 Reviews
Some good, some OKish.
canireallywin24 December 2019
This title was no doubt beautifully animated and some of the cinematography was wonderfully creative, but the story itself was just passable, even by the standards of child-orientated TV. Where The Snowman had a fully formed story with considerable creativity and poignancy, The Tiger Who Came to Tea really is just what it says... a tiger comes for tea, goes, and that's it. By the time the end came, all I could think was:
"Was that it?"
"Was that it?"
It's a short.
GiraffeDoor9 March 2023
This was a perfectly distracting short that coasts a lot on nostalgia. It's animation style captures the feel of the book quite admirably. Though I do wish their accents were a bit less...contemporary.
One thing it lacks is that the book had this sinister undertone that is now lost since it the time has been padded out. But it would be unfair to judge the short on those terms.
While not quite as low key creepy as the book, the way this short meanders from comical so masochistically alarming is pretty fresh.
Now all that's left is for me to meet the word count limit and I am going to do that this way.
One thing it lacks is that the book had this sinister undertone that is now lost since it the time has been padded out. But it would be unfair to judge the short on those terms.
While not quite as low key creepy as the book, the way this short meanders from comical so masochistically alarming is pretty fresh.
Now all that's left is for me to meet the word count limit and I am going to do that this way.
Very sweet
Gordon-1124 December 2019
I want a Tiger to come for tea!!!
adamjohns-4257528 December 2020
What a greedy little Pussycat the tiger is? I think if I had been the Mother I would have asked him to leave for being so rude, but what a curious thing to happen on a wet day, a tiger coming for tea?
It's a cute little story if a bit odd and without any specific destination.
I'm not sure it was worth paying such big names for the small amount of script that there was, but I did like Robbie Williams song that went with it. It just seemed oddly appropriate.
The artwork was brilliantly done. I liked the way the room was sometimes just a white background with a table like in a book, or that the background might change colour dependant upon what was happening or being said. The camera also seemed to follow them as if it was a live action film.
I could also appreciate the fact that they kept it retro with Milk that has foil lids and so on, which was an odd choice for kids of the day that might not know what it is now.
I would definitely read the original book to my own kids and show them the film to go with it, but I don't think that it's one that I need to see so regularly as an adult, unlike the Raymond Briggs Christmas Trilogy and 'The First Snow Of Winter', which I insist upon seeing at least once yearly.
It's a cute little story if a bit odd and without any specific destination.
I'm not sure it was worth paying such big names for the small amount of script that there was, but I did like Robbie Williams song that went with it. It just seemed oddly appropriate.
The artwork was brilliantly done. I liked the way the room was sometimes just a white background with a table like in a book, or that the background might change colour dependant upon what was happening or being said. The camera also seemed to follow them as if it was a live action film.
I could also appreciate the fact that they kept it retro with Milk that has foil lids and so on, which was an odd choice for kids of the day that might not know what it is now.
I would definitely read the original book to my own kids and show them the film to go with it, but I don't think that it's one that I need to see so regularly as an adult, unlike the Raymond Briggs Christmas Trilogy and 'The First Snow Of Winter', which I insist upon seeing at least once yearly.
Save the teager
Horst_In_Translation22 April 2020
Warning: Spoilers
"The Tiger Who Came to Tea" is an animated 25-minute (with credits) short film from 2019, to be more precise from the Christmas holidays 2019, so this one is not even half a year old now. The director is Robin Shaw and while he only had one other filmmaking credit before this one (also an animated short based on a children's book), write Joanna Harrison had been considerably more prolific and she is part of the industry for decades already. But the "real" writer here is Judith Kerr, who sadly died before this was released at the ancient age of 95 then already. Now, let me elaborate a bit on this short film. The voice acting cast includes a handful known names like Oscar nominee Comberbatch, Tamsin Greig ("Episodes) and Golden Globe nominee David Oyelowo, all of them Brits, whcih was expected because this is a British short film. Oyelowo by the way voices the title character and he does not have many lines at all. He only talks on one occasion towards the end when his character says thank you and goodbye. Cumberbatch voicing the father has some more, but also only very early on and at the very end as he is absent for almost the entire film in-between. He has to work. So do some of the side characters we also only see very early on and at the very end, which as a nice little framework.
Now as for everything in-between, it is all about the tiger. And also to a lesser extent the girl. And to an even lesser extent the mother. I would like to say that visually they were definitely going the traditional route. This film could easily have been 50 years older than it actually is judging only from the looks, especially the non-character looks. The tiger looks slightly more modern. And boy is he insatiable. I mean he eats everything really, but nobody's mad. What do you do when you have nothing at home? No food? That's right you go to a restaurant or café or so. It was such a memorable event for the little girl and it as totally worth it. I mean the tiger even ate the tooth paste. 'Nuff said. And he was not only so hungry, but totally thirsty too, so he did not only drink all the tea and daddy's beer, but really all the water that would come out of the tap. Lucky for the girl because ithout taking a bath there apparently is no going to sleep and that's why she is allowed to join her parents and have dinner at the café. The humor and comedy here is totally innocent and sweet. The only somewhat cheeky moments include the girl saying something that the tiger can user her mom's toothbrush because she won't mind. Or the girl saying that the tiger can return whenever he wants and I am sure mom (and dad) will be happy to provide suck an amount of food (and cooking and baking) every single day. Still the tiger did not return as we find out really at the very end. There is always also a bit of melancholy and farewell to these new British holiday shorts that usually run between 20 and 30 minutes. It's an experience that happens only once and never again. That a somewhat fantastic creature enters the lives of the protagonists that are usually children. And "fantastic" fits here for sure, not only because we eventually find out the tiger can talk, but that he is a mix between animal and human really. The animal parts are very obvious, but same is true about the human parts. Just take for example how he occasionally walks upright when it helps him getting something to eat mostly. And how we never have to be scared he could actually discover his preference for human mean. Even when the girl has her head really close to the tiger's mouth, there is never the slightest situation of danger. Also the whole premise was pretty brilliant. The reaction from the girl, but also the mother, was more in a way that a relative came unexpectedly to have tea with them (and a lot more) and said relative has not been there for years. Not in a way that a wild animal joined them. Oh yes, music is also always a factor in these British Christmas shorts. Here Robbie Williams sings a little song. It was alright, not one of the film's best aspects and I say that although I like the singer sort of. So I can see why this singing part added almost nothing for some, like also one other reviewer at least. Overall no hesitation for me in giving this film a thumbs-up. Go check it out. Not only a good watch during holiday season and I think you and you (inner) child should enjoy this too. Go for it!
Now as for everything in-between, it is all about the tiger. And also to a lesser extent the girl. And to an even lesser extent the mother. I would like to say that visually they were definitely going the traditional route. This film could easily have been 50 years older than it actually is judging only from the looks, especially the non-character looks. The tiger looks slightly more modern. And boy is he insatiable. I mean he eats everything really, but nobody's mad. What do you do when you have nothing at home? No food? That's right you go to a restaurant or café or so. It was such a memorable event for the little girl and it as totally worth it. I mean the tiger even ate the tooth paste. 'Nuff said. And he was not only so hungry, but totally thirsty too, so he did not only drink all the tea and daddy's beer, but really all the water that would come out of the tap. Lucky for the girl because ithout taking a bath there apparently is no going to sleep and that's why she is allowed to join her parents and have dinner at the café. The humor and comedy here is totally innocent and sweet. The only somewhat cheeky moments include the girl saying something that the tiger can user her mom's toothbrush because she won't mind. Or the girl saying that the tiger can return whenever he wants and I am sure mom (and dad) will be happy to provide suck an amount of food (and cooking and baking) every single day. Still the tiger did not return as we find out really at the very end. There is always also a bit of melancholy and farewell to these new British holiday shorts that usually run between 20 and 30 minutes. It's an experience that happens only once and never again. That a somewhat fantastic creature enters the lives of the protagonists that are usually children. And "fantastic" fits here for sure, not only because we eventually find out the tiger can talk, but that he is a mix between animal and human really. The animal parts are very obvious, but same is true about the human parts. Just take for example how he occasionally walks upright when it helps him getting something to eat mostly. And how we never have to be scared he could actually discover his preference for human mean. Even when the girl has her head really close to the tiger's mouth, there is never the slightest situation of danger. Also the whole premise was pretty brilliant. The reaction from the girl, but also the mother, was more in a way that a relative came unexpectedly to have tea with them (and a lot more) and said relative has not been there for years. Not in a way that a wild animal joined them. Oh yes, music is also always a factor in these British Christmas shorts. Here Robbie Williams sings a little song. It was alright, not one of the film's best aspects and I say that although I like the singer sort of. So I can see why this singing part added almost nothing for some, like also one other reviewer at least. Overall no hesitation for me in giving this film a thumbs-up. Go check it out. Not only a good watch during holiday season and I think you and you (inner) child should enjoy this too. Go for it!
Beautiful animation and voice acting
danhoughton25 December 2019
This is a simple tale of a child who's evening is changed when a Tiger decides to visit for Tea. Based on the time honoured and beautifully charming book by the late Judith Kerr, the animation is delightful in its faithfulness to the original book as drawn by the author. It is beautiful and heart warming in its simplicity. A must watch for families and anyone that grew up knowing the story of Tiger.
A tribute to Judith Kerr's beautiful story
laura-hughes-807-26557726 December 2019
Any negative reviews clearly don't know the story. It's a tribute to the original. Elaborating and extending the story just enough to make it a watchable film without detracting from the original at all.
The animation is just like the book. So subtle, the fading in and out of the background is great.
The voices suit each character beautifully and the original music score fits really well. The song performed by Robbie Williams was a nice surprise.
My 2 year old was enraptured by it from start to finish. We loved it.
The animation is just like the book. So subtle, the fading in and out of the background is great.
The voices suit each character beautifully and the original music score fits really well. The song performed by Robbie Williams was a nice surprise.
My 2 year old was enraptured by it from start to finish. We loved it.
Colourful fun at tea time
TheLittleSongbird26 December 2019
'The Tiger Who Came to Tea' did have a good deal going for it from the outset. It was based on a story that has immense charm to it. It had Benedict Cumberbatch and David Oyelowo in the voice cast, and both have done great work elsewhere (know from his scene-stealing voice work for Smaug in 'The Hobbit' films that Cumberbatch does voice acting very well). My love for animation, of all styles and decades, has been lifelong.
Watching it earlier today, there was no doubt in my mind that 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea' would be good and it was more than good. It was great and one of the little gems of the festive season, in a period where good and more programmes were the ones not hyped as much as the ones advertised fairly frequently and varied in success. 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea' is perfect for the whole family, something that knew exactly what it wanted to be and what it wanted to do without trying to do anything more than necessary.
It is beautifully animated, simple but never simplistic with colourful storybook illustration-wise images. The character design for the tiger is suitably majestic. The music is funky and vibrant, with a music number that sticks in the mind for a long time and is toe-tapping. Even if it does go on a little too long. The script generates the right amount of laughs and awws, the writing not using too complicated language for younger audiences while not being too childish for adults. So it is great at appealing to children and adults alike.
Same goes with the story, which is a slight one but it is never dull, and is very charming and sweet and like a storybook come to life. It is faithful to the source material and maintains all its charm and fun, especially once it properly gets going when the tiger appears.
All the characters are endearing, Sophie avoids not being cloying and her friendship with the tiger (who rightly steals the show) is enough to raise a smile. The voice acting is neither too hyperactive or too cute, the lion's share going to Clara Ross and she's very appealing as Sophie.
Concluding, great. 9/10
Watching it earlier today, there was no doubt in my mind that 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea' would be good and it was more than good. It was great and one of the little gems of the festive season, in a period where good and more programmes were the ones not hyped as much as the ones advertised fairly frequently and varied in success. 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea' is perfect for the whole family, something that knew exactly what it wanted to be and what it wanted to do without trying to do anything more than necessary.
It is beautifully animated, simple but never simplistic with colourful storybook illustration-wise images. The character design for the tiger is suitably majestic. The music is funky and vibrant, with a music number that sticks in the mind for a long time and is toe-tapping. Even if it does go on a little too long. The script generates the right amount of laughs and awws, the writing not using too complicated language for younger audiences while not being too childish for adults. So it is great at appealing to children and adults alike.
Same goes with the story, which is a slight one but it is never dull, and is very charming and sweet and like a storybook come to life. It is faithful to the source material and maintains all its charm and fun, especially once it properly gets going when the tiger appears.
All the characters are endearing, Sophie avoids not being cloying and her friendship with the tiger (who rightly steals the show) is enough to raise a smile. The voice acting is neither too hyperactive or too cute, the lion's share going to Clara Ross and she's very appealing as Sophie.
Concluding, great. 9/10
A great adaptation of the book
rickdove26 December 2019
Colourful and Charming!
Clank_Zoka24 December 2019
I just finished watching this short film on Channel 4 and despite not knowing much about the book, I loved this short film, it was charming, beautifully animated, along with a catchy song and great voice acting as well!, the story is simple, a Tiger comes to tea and eats a lot of the food at Sophie's house, which is both funny and can make you hungry also!.
The characters have this simple yet delightful look to them especially the tiger who looks amazing, his movements are smooth and the backgrounds and the way the camera moves is imagine and captivating.
I love the voice acting with some big names like David Walliams, Benedict Cumberbatch and Tamsin Greg, they both fit very well into their roles and I can easily see why!.
The music is catchy, full of personality and beautiful to listen to!.
So overall?, the Tiger Who Came to Tea is a simple, charming, colourful, catchy and amazing short film based on the book, this is a must watch for the whole family and a nice film for the children to watch!.
I will easily give the Tiger Who Came to Tea a 10/10!.
The characters have this simple yet delightful look to them especially the tiger who looks amazing, his movements are smooth and the backgrounds and the way the camera moves is imagine and captivating.
I love the voice acting with some big names like David Walliams, Benedict Cumberbatch and Tamsin Greg, they both fit very well into their roles and I can easily see why!.
The music is catchy, full of personality and beautiful to listen to!.
So overall?, the Tiger Who Came to Tea is a simple, charming, colourful, catchy and amazing short film based on the book, this is a must watch for the whole family and a nice film for the children to watch!.
I will easily give the Tiger Who Came to Tea a 10/10!.
Childhood imagination
contact-0846520 February 2020
A beautiful re-telling of the classic book. It retains the magic of the original story, adding to the beautiful illustrations with lovely music. It's obviously pitched for very young children, as an adult remembering being read the story by my mother, I found it really touching.
It's about childhood imagination and adventure. The cat (seen at the beginning and towards the end), becomes a tiger to little Sophie.
Sweet enough
studioAT27 December 2019
Beautiful, timeless and perfectly in tune with Judith Kerr's creation
rmc-727-593626 January 2020
What a wonderful animation of a family favourite loved by each generation.
The somewhat bizarre reviews on here that give low scores seem to overlook this is a faithful bringing to life of the original story written by the author and a production I'm sure she would have been pleased with.
A new family favourite and Christmas tradition
The somewhat bizarre reviews on here that give low scores seem to overlook this is a faithful bringing to life of the original story written by the author and a production I'm sure she would have been pleased with.
A new family favourite and Christmas tradition
As some others.. What is the point to it??
wbsimsjr-3240523 February 2021
The animation is different, almost a verbatim photocopy from a childrens book.. So high marks for it?? Meh...
This is a children's story.. so where is the little lessons/morals that are usually part of the process?? I only observed a quiet family rolling over and being taken advantage of by a rude, pushy and uncouth visitor.. IMO sometimes people overrate things for some crazy reasons.
Our brand new Christmas Eve family tradition forever
AutumnAlice24 December 2019
Just watched this with my 4yo and 8yo and I don't think we have ever seen anything that we have all loved so equally. Not even ashamed to say that I shed a wee tear or two, but this was partly down to watching the sheer delight on the kid's faces as they watched the tiger eat all the food etc etc.
We are all huge fans of the book so I suppose the tv adaptation could have let us down...but it most certainly didn't. And I was very happy to note that David Oyelowo did the tiger's voice exactly in the same tone I do when I read it to my kids.
It only fails to get a full 10 out of 10 because of the Robbie Williams song - that bit wasn't really necessary and I would have preferred someone who is actually cool, like Willie Nelson or Snoop for example, to provide the music. Busta Rhymes or Dolly Parton would also have been better alternatives. But that is just cos I can't stand Robbie Williams. Other than that, The Tiger who came to Tea was utterly wonderful and I can't wait to watch it again.
We are all huge fans of the book so I suppose the tv adaptation could have let us down...but it most certainly didn't. And I was very happy to note that David Oyelowo did the tiger's voice exactly in the same tone I do when I read it to my kids.
It only fails to get a full 10 out of 10 because of the Robbie Williams song - that bit wasn't really necessary and I would have preferred someone who is actually cool, like Willie Nelson or Snoop for example, to provide the music. Busta Rhymes or Dolly Parton would also have been better alternatives. But that is just cos I can't stand Robbie Williams. Other than that, The Tiger who came to Tea was utterly wonderful and I can't wait to watch it again.
Simply Beautiful
adam-578-34337626 December 2020
A modern film made in a style from days gone by. Absolutely charming and a faithful representation of the much-loved book. The animation, acting and music are all magnificent. This little film is full of nostalgia and cannot fail to bring a smile to your face.
Very good Hand-Drawn Animated Adaptation of the late Judith Kerr's Book
rebeccaajclarke11 December 2022
I find this Hand-Drawn Animated Adaptation of the late Judith Kerr's Book is very good, Because the hand-drawn animation did captured the illustrations of the late Judith Kerr's book very well, The Characters are very interesting, It has got the little girl called Sophie, Her Mother, Her Father and The Tiger, The voice acting is very Splendid, The story is very interesting as well, It is a very good story for Family and Children from every generation from the year 1968 to the current years, So, I'm giving this animated adaptation of this classic Children's Storybook a 10/10 and Merry Christmas.
Wonderfully charming
millibanana16 December 2023
The low score on IMDb and the negative reviews for this lovely short movie, based on a book published by a British author, in Britain, in 1968 is everything that is wrong with modern society and the Internet today.
The book is a short story, and the film adaption a faithful tribute to its author who passed away the same year the film was released and is a hugely celebrated children's writer.
The story itself is a firm favourite from my childhood and my children's - my daughter choosing to dress up in a home made tiger costume for the annual World Book Day celebration at school when she was 5 years old.
The film is delightful, funny and only half an hour to sit down and enjoy something simple. I didn't even watch it with children - I just enjoyed it for what it is.
The book is a short story, and the film adaption a faithful tribute to its author who passed away the same year the film was released and is a hugely celebrated children's writer.
The story itself is a firm favourite from my childhood and my children's - my daughter choosing to dress up in a home made tiger costume for the annual World Book Day celebration at school when she was 5 years old.
The film is delightful, funny and only half an hour to sit down and enjoy something simple. I didn't even watch it with children - I just enjoyed it for what it is.
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