A Tumblr post criticizing Lilo & Stitch has unexpectedly set the internet on fire, as fans rush in to defend what many consider to be their favorite Disney movie.

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Animator Hailey Lain shared her in-depth criticisms of the film to Tumblr last week after a comment prompted a question as to why she thinks it’s a bad movie.

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The gist of her critique seems to be that the narrative portrays Lilo as a brat, and rather than have both her and space monster Stitch learn that bad behavior has consequences, the film instead focuses on the idea that “family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.”

“The message of the movie … even says that it IS the family’s job to fix its members’ messes … without holding that family member responsible or accountable,” Lain wrote, before jumping into an explanation of what she believes would have been a better way to craft the story.

Folks have been asking what @Kalei_Works and I meant in this drawing I did the other night, in our critique of Lilo & Stitch. So here's the full reason as I posted it on Tumblr, best as I can explain! pic.twitter.com/uBfld1u0wv — SquigglyDigg (@SquigglyDigg) April 6, 2020

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Lilo & Stitch is one of those movies that is fiercely defended by those who love it, and many didn’t take kindly to Lain’s painting Lilo as a bratty kid who needed to be taught a lesson.

“Lilo is a bullied 6 year old trying to process her parents’ death,” @ruby_dubydu pointed out.

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God forbid a literal kid doesn't start the movie with the mindset of a mature adult. Everybody knows all good little kids… (checks notes) …don't behave like little kids do in real life. — I want off PanzerThiefZero's wild ride! (@PanzerThiefZer0) April 8, 2020

“She had the audacity to lash out at a bully who insulted her by invoking her RECENTLY DEAD MOTHER,” snarked @ThatAuntZelda.

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https://twitter.com/ThatAuntZelda/status/1248875482352771072

The way Lilo & Stitch is explicitly about compassion in response to children who lash out due to trauma and the hot take is that Lilo is "a brat" and should have been symbolically abandoned (???) to teach her a lesson https://t.co/d6QXk0N9eC — Jenny Nicholson don't talk to me about Sonic (@JennyENicholson) April 11, 2020

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Lilo is literally trending because everyone has just come together to say Lilo and Stitch is a good movie and Lilo is a great realistic portrayal of a 6 year old girl who has suffered a traumatic loss and doesn't know how to deal with her emotions.



This is me agreeing with that. pic.twitter.com/GgoObw7k88 — TRAFON (@RiseFallNick) April 11, 2020

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#LiloAndStitch

So #Lilo was trending and I had to see why. I didn't realize some people thought she was bratty. I identified with her so much, as a kid, because I spent the majority of my time alone, with my imaginary friends. I guess I always thought she seemed pretty normal. pic.twitter.com/RcqFVuhl4h — lucyintheskywithrubies (@lucyintheskyw20) April 11, 2020

https://twitter.com/picogram_art/status/1248744128965259265

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And a common concern was that Lain’s take overlooks the fact that Lilo is a type of character rarely portrayed on screen for young kids of color to identify with.

“Black & Brown kids do not get to be kids,” writer Vita Ayala said in response to the post. “They’re held to adult standards and demonized from the jump. Not allowed trauma, mental illness, or [to] ever be sad/angry.”

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https://twitter.com/definitelyvita/status/1248982440464527363

https://twitter.com/LeaC_Official/status/1248997174404354049

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Everything about that Lilo and Stitch callout post is laughably juvenile and frankly just wrong but the thing that legitimately concerns me is this idea that a marginalized character, a POC, a girl, a child no less, can't be flawed or messy because it'll "set a bad example" — Jen Bartel (@heyjenbartel) April 11, 2020

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Don't forget the cut arc about her dealing with white tourists being racist at her — local nb reaper e-th0t (@lZoe7i5) April 11, 2020

But pretty much nobody was here for this kind of attempted take down of Lilo & Stitch.

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I don't think you read into the film right. It portrays a more realistic and tense relationship between siblings who are now shifted into different roles due to tragedy. Lilo doesn't necessarily feel like a brat. She feels like a lonely kid desperate for love — Ant 🎃 All Hallows Eve (@AGramuglia) April 11, 2020

Yeah, and Nani does things she shouldn't also because they're both human beings. Imagine that. 🙃 — LA Knight🐈(🤓🏳️‍🌈❤💜💙📚🧚🏼🦇🤧🥄) (@LA_Knight89) April 11, 2020

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Honestly the dissection isnt even the problem, the fact that they went so deep into it and just COMPLETELY failed to mention how traumatized lilo is from her parents death and how thats a driving force of the movie is insane — 🦀 LAND BACK 🦀 (@casualpigeon) April 11, 2020

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This post is every reason I hate moralizing in children’s fiction rolled up in one frozen nugget. OP has literally no concept of communal solution to trauma— the only “moral” solution is to treat Lilo and Nani’s trauma as individual failings rather than wounds in need of healing — Five Energy Beings in an Ill-fitting Trenchcoat (@challah_chic) April 11, 2020

Its a kids movie. Even at its most poinant, its oversimplified: sure. But holy crap, a kids movie commenting on broken homes, finding family in friends.. you missed it dude.. by a mile. — 🏳️‍🌈 nicole ham 🦠😰 (busy! less active!) (@thenicoleham) April 11, 2020

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Even if Lilo & Stitch started trending on Twitter for less-than-ideal reasons, the best part is that now we’re all thinking about Lilo & Stitch and can just go watch it all over again.

All this Lilo & Stitch discourse just makes me want to rewatch it again for the 50th time. So in the end Lilo wins. — ✨Teri @ to do list✨ (@teriarchibbles) April 11, 2020

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