Despicable Me, starring Steve Carell as the villain-turned-dad, Gru
Just what are those adorable little yellow things that make those cute chipmunk noises in the previews? Well…evil minions. And the main character? A malicious villain who adopts three orphan girls and tricks them into helping him steal the moon. You may not find any heroes in Pierre Coffin’s and Chris Renaut’s animated film, Despicable Me, but you’ll enjoy an original storyline, impressive visuals and a clever script that will keep you laughing from credits to credits.
Despicable Me, the number two movie in America (second only to Inception), is receiving praise from a number of powerful critics for its laugh out loud moments, impressive visuals and unique plot. The film’s bright, witty script is perhaps its best quality. Clever banter between the characters is enjoyable throughout.
The film’s visuals are also very pleasing, despite its overall dark appearance. The houses and characters, for instance, are intricate and eye-popping, and the villain versus villain fight and/or chase scenes are innovative and exciting.
Once past the initial, sinister storyline, the film becomes a grippingly heartwarming tale. Gru, who at first uses the young orphans for his own malevolent purposes, eventually warms up to the three girls and becomes a sort of father figure. The evil doer, who at first is only concerned with his next big heist, later spends his time in amusement parks and reading bedtime stories.
Besides the humor, visuals and plotline, critics’ admiration has also stemmed from the film’s enjoyable cast of voices. Steve Carell (Gru) endlessly entertains with his hysterical accent (French, I think?) and spot-on delivery of the main character’s dry humor. Russell Brand, known for his eccentric role in Get Him to the Greek, takes on his most conservative role yet as the elderly Dr. Nefario. Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall and TV’s How I Met Your Mother), plays Vector, the villain of the villain. One of the movie’s truly wicked (and annoying) characters, Vector tries to out-evil Gru at every turn. Saturday Night Live cast member Kristen Wiig is successfully scary as the nasty orphanage secretary, Miss Hattie, and the always lovely Julie Andrews is almost unrecognizable as the voice of Gru’s eccentric mother.
Despite its title, there are not many despicable characters in the film. Instead, Gru leads a cast of likeable personalities, and, no matter how evil those yellow minions may be, you can’t help but want to give them a hug.
