Tom & Jerry

 

8/10

In Tom & Jerry, Kayla (played by Chloe Grace Moretz) lies to get a job in event planning at a swanky motel. Jerry the mouse is spotted living there. With a big wedding coming up, the hotel wants him out, so Kayla, hoping to prove herself, hires cat Tom to help kick him out.

First off, Tom & Jerry fans will be happy to know that you get prime grade, classic Tom and Jerry slapstick. I can't help but think that the producers/director remembered the backlash against the nineties T&J film, which had the characters talking and was more of a Disney-wannabe musical. (I just found out that Spin City's Rich Kind voiced Tom. Huh.) So, this movie really captures the feel of Tom and Jerry's style of mostly silent physical humor. 

But what about the rest of the story? I know a lot of people online are complaining about movie, but I'm not seeing it. Don't get me wrong, it's an unambitious, basic kids' storyline, but it moves smoothly. I was generally entertained and invested in what was happening. It definitely works a lot better than many other cartoon-turned-live action films, such as Alvin and the Chipmunks and the Smurfs. That having been said, I admit that the plotline about the engaged couple with communication problems is very predictable. Also, this is a case of another children's film forcing in a poop joke just because. Unsurprisingly, the bit doesn't work.

I really appreciated that they kept Tom and Jerry's classic designs. I think the filmmakers also learned from the backlash to the original Sonic design in the Sonic the Hedgehog movie. Just keep it classic. Tom and Jerry aren't made realistic looking or fully 3-D. (The characters are computer animated, but made to look old-school cartoony, such as with the Peanuts Movie.) Not only that, they don't go with the main animals being the only animated animals, which you often see. Every single animal in this  is animated. I mean the amount of effort they put into this is impressive. You'll just see animals in the background. Even skeletons or pieces of meat just hanging in a kitchen are animated. Now, that's commitment.     

As for the rest of the movie, it looks good. I liked the warm color scheme.

The acting is hit-and-miss here. Michael Pena, who I don't always like in everything, is fun as the antagonist events planning manager who doesn't trust Kayla. Rob Delany provides some good lines as the head of the hotel. On the other hand, this isn't Moretz's best work. Her voice seems to be locked into one tone. In fairness, she's the actor trying the hardest to fit with the old-school cartoon feel of the film. Her facial expressions are appropriately broad, but she has a limited number of them, and I don't know if they always fit the right scenario. Pallavi Sharda and SNL's Colin Jost as the engaged couple are just kind of there. Especially Jost, sure he does a decent job of delivering jokes for the news section of SNL, but as an actor, he's the blandest blander who ever blanded.

I recommend this. I'm not saying this is the best children's film ever made, but it is entertaining for you and your kids and should work for any T&J fans.