Mabel: Modest, but endearing

Mabel (2024) • View trailer3.5 stars (out of five); not rated, and suitable for all agesAvailable via: Amazon Prime and other VOD optionsBy Derrick Bang • Published in The Davis Enterprise, 5.3.26Back in the day, a sweet little film like this would have found a happy home as an Afterschool Special, which all three networks ran half a dozen times each year, from 1972 through 1996. The thoughtful dramas were topical and/or gently instructive, aimed at the tween demographic, often helping them navigate interpersonal relationships. Callie (Lexi Perkel) is in seventh heaven when she visits the expansive universitybotany department where Mrs. G (Judy Greer) works, when not substitute teachingat the nearby middle school.Alas, the market appears to have vanished for such films, which is a shame. This one apparently sat on a shelf for two years, before obtaining streaming release with absolutely no fanfare.More’s the pity, because Mabel is a quiet charmer. We meet 11-year-old Callie (Lexi…