Many families, on a Friday or Saturday night, might go to dinner and then a movie. If that movie happens to be “Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs” though, go to dinner after. You will all be really, really hungry.
The family film that has been at the top of the box office for the past two weeks deserves all the accolades it deserves. It’s about a young boy named Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) who is mocked his whole life for being a terrible inventor until, one day, he creates a machine that can turn water into food. It turns his home town of Chewandswallow into a worldwide tourist attraction, but the greed of the townspeople ends up creating a world wide food crisis and only Flint and a few friends can save the day.
Watching “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs,” the first thing you notice is that it looks insanely pretty. The animation is top notch. It might not be Pixar pretty, but it’s close. Especially in theaters showing the film in 3D, the movie jumps off the screen.
However, while the conceit of food falling from the sky is very entertaining to watch, the film itself is riddled with plot holes that even your child might pick up on. How does the machine stay in the sky, Dad? Why does the town look so clean the next day, Mom? These are minor gripes but they are things you should be aware of.
Also, “Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs” is totally irreverent. It goes from snowing ice cream to having people spray unbreakable substances on their feet to rat-birds and fighting chickens. There is nothing at all realistic about this movie. It’s all about just making it’s audience oooo and ahhh and hopefully laugh along the way.
In the end, that mad cap tone actually makes the film enjoyable for both kids and adults. Adults will chuckle at the anything goes attitude on display and kids will gush at crazy action, stunning visuals and wondrous food concoctions. Not to mention the list of voice talent – everyone from Andy Samberg to Mr. T and Neil Patrick Harris – is totally spot on.
“Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” isn’t going to change the way animated films are made, but it does give a good model of how they should continue to be made. Focus on fun, focus on family and keep it smart enough for both adults and kids to enjoy it.
