Despicably Cute

Rating: 5/10 (2 July 2013)

THE GIST: Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud's DESPICABLE ME is best described as "cute", which is a fine thing but not the best thing that this movie could have been. In the film, Gru (voiced by Steve Carell), our evil mastermind for a protagonist, inadvertently adopts three little girls in his quest to steal the moon and better his competing evil nemesis Vector (Jason Segel). The movie is a lot of fun, especially for the G-rated crowd. As for the adults, well...the serious laughs are few and far between and the movie tries too hard to be something its not that it never truly comes into its own. With such a fresh premise that is somewhere between MEGAMIND and MONSTERS INC., it is sad that the conflict is as thin as a Nick Jr. cartoon and the supporting characters overshadow everything else going on in the film. However, the film really owns its cuteness and its heartwarming ending shouldn't be overlooked.
THE BEST PART: The Minions, which are a cross between the Doozers from FRAGGLE ROCK and the aliens from TOY STORY, could carry a movie all their own.
THE VERDICT: Parts of DESPICABLE ME seem awfully familiar and there may not be enough weight in the story to carry a feature-length film, but its goofy enough to smile through and is a sure-fire hit with the under-10 crowd.