Surprisingly solid comedy

Rating: 7/10 (9 October 2013)

"Monsters University" has a thin plot that lends itself perfectly for comedy. It's basically "Rudy" but with becoming a professional scarer instead of being a Notre Dame football player. Except unlike Rudy, we know from the very beginning that he's going to fail. The good news is that this is a comedy, not an inspiring feel good story of how if you work hard enough you can achieve your dream. And as a comedy Monsters University delivers consistent laughs.
Most of the jokes are visual so it's tough to rehash them in a written review. "I found a nickle! Sure wish I had pockets..." What keeps this movie going isn't witty dialogue as much as it is lots of little visual extras in the background of different shots. It's the detail that makes it good.
If you don't like visual humor then Monsters University is probably not for you. It offers little else. It's not much in the way of a plot. If you think about the moral of the story, it's that no matter how hard you work you may never achieve your goals. Perhaps it teaches kids a good lesson on mediocrity and being okay with not being the best. Somehow it sounds less inspiring than the movie makes it out to be.
If you enjoy other Pixar movies or enjoyed Monsters Inc. then Monsters University is definitely worth a watch. It won't go down as a classic, but it's still a very solid comedy.