Adapted from the popular graphic novel by Charlie Mackesy, “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse” is a 2022 animated film that revolves around the significance of friendship and companionship. It offers multiple lessons to learn and inspires a person to be the best version of themselves. These days, a true friend is nowhere to be found, but Charlie Mackesy has beautifully captured the essence of kindness and togetherness. Just like the book, the movie highlights soft illustrations that will intrigue a viewer’s heart. The movie revolves around the life of a young boy who is lost and finds a mole who supports him in his quest to find a home. From the very beginning, the Mole was obsessed with cake; he always wanted to eat one. He thought he spotted a cake from afar, so they decided to head in its direction, but it was a huge tree with snow on it. Moreover, the Mole wanted the Boy to be happy about this journey, and he shared his insights on the same. So, an old mole guided them to follow the river, whose direction would surely take him home. They couldn’t find a river, and the only way to find one was to climb the tallest tree around. As time passed, the Mole and the Boy climbed the tree but didn’t spot a river. All this time, both of them talked about their interests, and the Mole wanted to know more about the Boy’s ambitions.
The Boy wanted to be kind because Kindness is one of the most important values to follow. The duo sat quietly on the tree branch and marveled at the magnificent view around them. They stepped down and followed the hill to find more traces of the river. Finally, the Boy and the Mole found the river but decided to head back since it was getting pretty dark. After coming back from the river, they climbed on the same tree and quickly became friends. According to the Mole, many of his ancestors gave up on their dreams because of the fear inside them. The Boy always dreamed about having a home, yet he never discovered the beauty of having a family. Suddenly, a fox followed their trail to the tree and planned on attacking them. A loud noise from the woods distracted him, and the Fox chose to follow the sound. A few minutes passed, and the Boy and the Mole heard whimpering noises nearby and decided to check.
When they reached the forest, the Fox was trapped to a pole with a rope attached to its back and couldn’t escape it. So, the Mole stepped ahead to help him, but the Fox warned him to stay away. Still, the Mole saved him, but the Fox didn’t thank them for their kindness. The next morning, the Boy and the Mole decided to follow the river, but the Mole accidentally fell inside and couldn’t withstand the heavy currents. The Boy tried his best to protect him. The Fox arrived at the right time and managed to pull the Mole out. The Boy thanked the Fox and hugged him for his help. Well, the Fox acknowledged the Boy’s efforts and left the scene. Time passed by, and the duo noticed that the Fox followed them everywhere, trying to be a part of their plans. Even though Fox seems to be very rude and dangerous, he is very sweet at heart and helpful at the same time. For some reason, the Fox couldn’t speak to them, but the Mole and the Boy didn’t force him to join their conversations.
They knew that Fox might be lonely and wanted some company to have fun with since everybody goes through this phase where they feel the need to have friends to speak to. This time, the trio moved through the forest and found a beautiful white horse in the woods. He looked lonely and depressed. The Mole approached him and asked him to join their group. The Horse joined them without any hesitation, and they ended up becoming great friends. The woods led them to an open space where the trio had lots of fun, but the Fox just looked at them from afar. The Horse took the Mole and the Boy on a ride; it was a never-ending experience for them, but suddenly, the Boy lost his balance and he fell into the river. The Boy couldn’t control his emotions and began crying. He apologized for not holding on, but the Horse reassured him and taught him a very important lesson. His tears fell uncontrollably, and the Boy was instantly upset about this. But the Horse knew that everything had a strong reason behind it. Crying does not make a person weak; instead, these tears make him stronger with every passing hurdle.
The Boy lacked confidence, but the Mole, the Horse, and the Fox had his back through all the difficulties that life put him through. Luckily, at a distance, the Boy spotted twinkling lights signaling that the particular area had families around. Well, the old Mole was right about her predictions since the river took him to his destination. The four of them followed the lights to find a home, but all this time, the Fox didn’t speak to them. They appreciated his efforts to be a part of their group, but his silence became overbearing. But, the Fox never planned on losing them, and he opened up and talked about his deepest fears. The Fox believed that his life was not as interesting as it seemed to be. But he forgot his best quality, and that was honesty. The Horse cheered him up and took the Fox along. Moreover, the Boy was interested in knowing about all the bravest things the Horse had ever said. In his words, it was ‘Help.’ According to the Horse, asking for help doesn’t belittle a person in any way; one should never give up and find it with all their might.
The four of them were glad to be a part of each other’s lives. Suddenly, a huge thunderstorm started brewing, and taking shelter in the woods was their only way to survive the storm. The four of them supported each other to escape the pain and fear. Despite all this, the Horse guided the Boy to be strong, as there are times when things are out of our control, but our strength can help us solve all problems. Just like that, a whole day passed, and they began their journey again. This time, the Boy couldn’t spot the lights, and he wanted to give up, but the Fox motivated him to trust his gut. Our minds can confuse us, but our qualities are different, and there are some things that others can’t bring in, but we can. The Boy noticed that the Horse had something to share, and soon it was revealed that the Horse was blessed with two beautiful wings. He was scared to take flight since the other horses envied him. The Boy assured him that they loved him whether he could fly or not. Upon hearing this, the Horse displayed his beautiful wings, and the Boy, the Mole, and the Fox sat on him to experience the beauty of the whole place.
They flew toward the lights, and the Boy finally found a home. His friends were skeptical about letting him go, but they wanted the Boy to make his own destiny. The Boy bid a final goodbye and walked away. But right when he was about to step in, the Boy changed his mind and decided to stay with them forever since Home is a place that needs to be made and nurtured. The Boy decided to stay with them since they never left his side, and they’ve been around protecting him through every problem. “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” will make you believe in friendships. Sometimes life can be very difficult but having a friend can solve the majority of the problems. Moreover, this movie inspires a person to have faith in their own actions. Many people deal with the fear of being left out. Everyone had their own fears to conquer—the feeling of being alone and a lack of confidence. Despite everything, the Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse found a home in each other.
