# “Stargirl” rat care rant



## Rat_mom_:) (Jun 23, 2021)

Ok.. I recently watched Stargirl, a strange movie about some boy who falls in love with an eccentric girl with a rat. I watched it because I’m a big fan of Grace Vanderwall, and while the movie was ok by itself at best, I found me hating myself for even watching it. For one reason. Her rat care! Her rat “cinnamon” is kept by HERSELF, in a SHOEBOX sized cage. WTH. As if that’s it. I found myself pulling my hair out while watching this movie. She also lets cinnamon down on the ground in her driveway. Some people might think this is no big deal but THINK ABOUT IT. Driveways are nasty. Who even knows the amount of chemicals and oils that are spilled on it on a weekly basis. Yes the ground looked fairly clean, but STILL. And really, Stargirl (the main character girl) is gone at high school all day and then is a cheerleader, and then has to go home to do homework. That’s not on the days she hangs out with her boyfriend. So Cinnamon just sits all day by herself in this shoebox of a cage. Talk about animal cruelty. They make it seem like Stargirl hangs out with Cinnamon a lot, but as a high schooler myself, with extra curriculars on top, and a dog to take care of, sometimes I have trouble finding time to hang out with my rats. But they also have each other, and a very large cage with lots of things to do. 
IDK, maybe I’m crazy but this movie left me appalled. I was so happy when I heard about this movie because I thought, “Yay! We need more movies portraying rats as innocent creatures instead of the menaces modern culture has led people to believe they are. 
Perhaps you guys think differently about this movie, so let me know. But I personally had a lot of trouble finishing it.


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## lfraser06 (Aug 5, 2020)

Good thing it was just a movie, huh?

Edited to add: I didn't watch the movie, but I've watched Willard and Ben, when I as a kid


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## Mkd (Mar 24, 2021)

The world needs more empathetic people like you. And the world would be a better place.


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## Rat_mom_:) (Jun 23, 2021)

lfraser06 said:


> Good thing it was just a movie, huh?
> 
> Edited to add: I didn't watch the movie, but I've watched Willard and Ben, when I as a kid


Phew, yes. Good thing it was just a movie. It does worry me that kids will want to be like “Stargirl” and go out and get a rat. Hopefully the rattie actor that plays Cinnamon lives a wonderful life in a big cage with some friends.


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## Rat_mom_:) (Jun 23, 2021)

Mkd said:


> The world needs more empathetic people like you. And the world would be a better place.


Ah, I’m blushing! Thank you! I was worried that people would judge me for ranting over a stupid movie. XD maybe people still are


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## MinkShadow (Mar 5, 2021)

Rat_mom_:) said:


> Ok.. I recently watched Stargirl, a strange movie about some boy who falls in love with an eccentric girl with a rat. I watched it because I’m a big fan of Grace Vanderwall, and while the movie was ok by itself at best, I found me hating myself for even watching it. For one reason. Her rat care! Her rat “cinnamon” is kept by HERSELF, in a SHOEBOX sized cage. WTH. As if that’s it. I found myself pulling my hair out while watching this movie. She also lets cinnamon down on the ground in her driveway. Some people might think this is no big deal but THINK ABOUT IT. Driveways are nasty. Who even knows the amount of chemicals and oils that are spilled on it on a weekly basis. Yes the ground looked fairly clean, but STILL. And really, Stargirl (the main character girl) is gone at high school all day and then is a cheerleader, and then has to go home to do homework. That’s not on the days she hangs out with her boyfriend. So Cinnamon just sits all day by herself in this shoebox of a cage. Talk about animal cruelty. They make it seem like Stargirl hangs out with Cinnamon a lot, but as a high schooler myself, with extra curriculars on top, and a dog to take care of, sometimes I have trouble finding time to hang out with my rats. But they also have each other, and a very large cage with lots of things to do.
> IDK, maybe I’m crazy but this movie left me appalled. I was so happy when I heard about this movie because I thought, “Yay! We need more movies portraying rats as innocent creatures instead of the menaces modern culture has led people to believe they are.
> Perhaps you guys think differently about this movie, so let me know. But I personally had a lot of trouble finishing it.


I struggle to watch so many movies with pets in them - I'm always pulling out my hair at the animal care.


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## SonicRat (Jun 30, 2021)

Having read you description,I couldn’t watch it. I would get upset too.It may be just a movie but movies can influence people.Let’s just hope that if anyone is inspired to get a rat from it they will do their research first!


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## MinkShadow (Mar 5, 2021)

SonicRat said:


> Having read you description,I couldn’t watch it. I would get upset too.It may be just a movie but movies can influence people.Let’s just hope that if anyone is inspired to get a rat from it they will do their research first!


I agree, if people see that and go "oh i want a rat" then buy one on an impulse... It's bound to end in disaster.


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## ratbusters (Aug 28, 2020)

MinkShadow said:


> I agree, if people see that and go "oh i want a rat" then buy one on an impulse... It's bound to end in disaster.


Hi MinkShadow. Greetings to our fellow Kiwi ratforum member. Haven't seen you on the forum for ages... hope you and your rat family are getting on OK.


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## CorbinDallasMyMan (Feb 24, 2017)

Thanks for the movie recommendation. I thought it was really cute! I probably would never had heard of it had you not posted about it.


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