Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
A hauntingly beautiful stop-motion fable where grief-stricken woodwork and borrowed life collide with the harsh realities of war, questioning what it truly means to be real in a world of puppets.
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

"Love will give you life."

09 November 2022 United States of America 117 min ⭐ 8.0 (3,136)
Director: Mark Gustafson Guillermo del Toro
Cast: Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Gregory Mann, Burn Gorman, Ron Perlman
Drama Animation Fantasy Adventure
Mortality, Grief, and Love Fascism, Conformity, and Disobedience Father-Son Relationships The Nature of Humanity
Budget: $35,000,000

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio - Movie Quotes

Memorable Quotes

The one thing that makes human life precious and meaningful, you see, is how brief it is.

— Death

Context:

This is said by Death to Pinocchio during one of his visits to the afterlife. She explains to him that while he has eternal life, his loved ones do not, and every moment with them is therefore precious.

Meaning:

This line encapsulates the film's core philosophical message. It reframes death not as a tragedy to be feared, but as the very element that gives life its value and urgency. It is the central lesson Pinocchio learns on his journey from immortal puppet to understanding humanity.

When he called me a burden, his nose didn't grow.

— Pinocchio

Context:

Pinocchio says this to Sebastian J. Cricket after an angry Geppetto, in a moment of despair, calls him a burden. Pinocchio realizes that, in that moment, Geppetto was speaking his true, painful feelings, a truth more hurtful than any lie.

Meaning:

A heartbreaking line that demonstrates Pinocchio's growing emotional intelligence. He understands that lies are not just factual inaccuracies but can be truths people tell themselves. It's the moment he realizes the depth of Geppetto's pain and his own place within it.

What happens, happens. And then we are gone.

— Sebastian J. Cricket

Context:

Sebastian delivers this line as the narrator at the very end of the film. After explaining that Geppetto, Spazzatura, and he himself have all died of old age, leaving Pinocchio alone, this is his final reflection as Pinocchio walks away to a new, unknown adventure.

Meaning:

These are the film's final words, serving as a simple, profound, and melancholy summary of its themes of acceptance and mortality. It is a peaceful, if sad, acknowledgment of the natural course of life and death, leaving the audience to ponder the beauty of a finite existence.

Don't be Carlo or anyone else, be exactly who you are.

— Geppetto

Context:

This is said by Geppetto towards the end of the film, likely after Pinocchio has been revived. It signifies the mending of their relationship and Geppetto's realization that he loves this new son, not as a replacement, but as himself.

Meaning:

This marks the climax of Geppetto's character arc. It is his ultimate expression of acceptance and unconditional love for Pinocchio. He finally lets go of the ghost of his dead son and embraces Pinocchio for the unique individual he is.