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September 23, 2009

'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs': Laughs throughout

By STEVE OUELLETTE, Movie Review

If an animated movie is funny and looks great, it's going to be successful. It's that simple.

"Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" looks superb, especially in 3-D, and it delivers laughs from start to finish.

Someone pass the Parmesan cheese.

Based on a beloved children's picture book of the same name, "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" expands the original story considerably, with some inventive ideas and endearing characters.

The hero is Flint Lockwood ("Saturday Night Live's" ever-present Bill Hader), an energetic young inventor whose creations (spray-on shoes!) inevitably fail. Flint lives on the small, remote island of Swallow Falls, whose entire economy is based on the sardine industry.

When sardines (they're gross) experience a downturn, the townsfolk are left with nothing to eat but, well, sardines. Enter Flint with his revolutionary machine designed to turn water into food.

Accidentally launched into the clouds, the device actually works — in a way — and foodstuff begins to rain down on the town. That brings popularity to Flint and draws in pretty weather girl Sam Sparks (Anna Faris) from the cable channel to cover the phenomenon.

Eventually, however, things begin to go wrong, the food gets bigger and more menacing and the whole town is threatened.

The film doesn't push a greater message (Nerds are people too? Eating too many giant hot dogs is bad for you?), but visually it's incredibly inventive. You can almost taste the various weather fronts, from a cheeseburger storm to a blizzard of ice cream to a hail of juicy steaks. And who wouldn't want a Jell-O castle?

Flint and Sam fuel the plot, but the quirky supporting cast lends plenty of laughs. James Caan is perfect as Flint's old-fashioned dad, who runs a bait shop and speaks in fishing metaphors. Mr. T was an inspired choice as the town's buff, by-the-rules cop. Bruce Campbell is the conniving mayor; Andy Samberg is the town icon "Baby Brent"; Neil Patrick Harris is a talking monkey named Steve.

There are some themes and humor that will skip over the heads of kids, but "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" is really a simple treat for all ages. It's pure cartoony goodness.

Rental Recommendation: Bill Murray was at his sophomoric best in the summer camp comedy "Meatballs." Grade: A-.

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Steve Ouellette's Movie Reviews

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