Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip is a 2015 American live-action/animated jukebox musical comedy film directed by Walt Becker and written by Randi Mayem Singer and Adam Sztykiel, based on the characters Alvin and the Chipmunks created by Ross Bagdasarian Sr. and the Chipettes created by Janice Karman. It is the fourth and final installment in the live-action Alvin and the Chipmunks film series and the sequel to the 2011 film Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked. The film stars Jason Lee, Tony Hale, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Josh Green. Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler and Jesse McCartney all reprise their roles as the Chipmunks, while Kaley Cuoco, Anna Faris and Christina Applegate play the Chipettes. Cuoco replaced Amy Poehler as the voice of Eleanor in the film. The plot centers on the Chipmunks (Alvin, Simon, and Theodore) as they head to Miami after believing that Dave will propose to his girlfriend Samantha, who has a son who bullies the Chipmunks. Along the way they end up in unfortunate circumstances, such as being put on the No Fly List.
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip was released in the United States on December 18, 2015, by 20th Century Fox. Like its predecessors, the film received generally negative reviews from critics. It grossed over $234 million worldwide against a $90 million budget, making it the lowest-grossing entry in the series.
== Plot ==
Alvin, Simon, and Theodore Seville, along with the Chipettes – Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor – have moved to a new house and set up a surprise birthday bash for Dave that also serves as a good luck/going-away party for the Chipettes, who are scheduled to be guest judges on American Idol. Alvin invites and hires many people and celebrities, much to Simon's dismay.
Though dissatisfied, Dave agrees to take them mini-golfing, where the Chipmunks meet Samantha, who he has been dating for the past few months. While the Chipmunks like Samantha, her son Miles physically abuses the trio. Later, the Chipmunks find an engagement ring in a bag Dave brought home and believe that he is going to propose to Samantha. Realizing in horror that Dave and Samantha getting married would make Miles their step-brother, they try to steal the ring, but are unsuccessful.
Dave has to produce a record for rising pop artist Ashley Grey in Miami, and decides to bring Samantha along with him. The Chipmunks and Miles are staying together, but they agree to head to Miami to sabotage the supposed marriage proposal. The Chipmunks drug three squirrels and dress them up in their clothes from stuffed toys to fool their next door neighbor Ms. Price, who was asked to peek in on them.
They travel on a plane, but Theodore lets out a monkey, which then lets out several animals, leading to an emergency landing in Austin, Texas, and frustrates unscrupulous Air Marshal James Suggs, who is revealed to resent the Chipmunks because his girlfriend dumped him on Christmas for being obsessed with them at the time, effectively eliminating his shot of becoming an FBI agent, so he puts them on the No-Fly List (except for Miles).
The Chipmunks perform at a bar, but are caught by Suggs. Alvin starts a bar fight, so they can escape. They jump into a taxi cab, but the driver ejects them for not having money. Resting against an old tree, Miles reveals that his father left him when he was five years old, causing the four to bond and see each other differently. They raise money busking to take a bus to New Orleans, and perform at the Mardi Gras parade, which draws Dave's attention as it is broadcast on live television. It also allows the Chipmunks to cause Suggs, who has followed them, to get drunk on moonshine.
Dave and Samantha find Miles and the Chipmunks at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, who punish them for sneaking out and not responding to numerous missed calls and texts from Dave. With the Chipmunks now on the No-Fly List, Dave has to drive them. When they arrive in Miami, Alvin reveals that he stole the ring from the container, thus sabotaging the proposal.
However, since Miles has grown to care about the Chipmunks during their trip, he is upset and hurt that they are celebrating over this, thinking they just don't want to have him around. Crossing the street with his headphones on, he is nearly hit by a car, but the Chipmunks swing Theodore pushing Miles out of the way, saving his life. They agree to give the ring back.
During the dinner, Suggs catches up with the Chipmunks, but they trap him in an elevator. Miles and the Chipmunks return the ring to Dave, saying that they accept Samantha and Miles into the family, but Dave reveals the ring belonged to his friend Barry, who was proposing to his girlfriend, Alice.
As one final apology, they try making it up to Dave by singing a new song to him at the launch party with the help of the Chipettes, Ashley and Miles. They also return the ring to Barry, who reattempts his proposal to Alice, and this time, Alice accepts. Having forgiven them, Dave officially adopts the Chipmunks as his sons, although is frustrated by the squirrels having destroyed the house. Meanwhile, Suggs is freed from the elevator and decides to relax by the pool, only for two security guards to carry him out as he's not a hotel guest.
== Production ==
In June 2013, 20th Century Fox announced that a fourth installment, Alvin and the Chipmunks 4, would be released on December 11, 2015. In August 2014, Randi Mayem Singer signed on to write the fourth installment. On December 18, 2014, it was announced that Walt Becker signed on to direct and that the film would be released on December 23, 2015. Unlike the previous films, where the Chipmunks and the Chipettes were animated by Rhythm & Hues Studios, in this film, they were animated by Wētā FX, due to Rhythm & Hues shutting down in 2013. The movie was officially released on December 18, 2015. It was also announced that the film would be titled Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip. In February 2015, Tony Hale joined the cast. On March 10, 2015, Kimberly Williams-Paisley joined the cast. On March 23, 2015, it was confirmed that Bella Thorne had joined the cast. Principal photography began on March 16, 2015, and ended on May 20, 2015.
== Music ==
Mark Mothersbaugh, who previously scored Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, returned to score The Road Chip.
== Home media ==
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip was released on DVD and Blu-ray on March 15, 2016.
== Reception ==
=== Box office ===
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip has grossed $85,886,987 in North America and $148,911,649 in other territories for a worldwide total of $234,798,636 against a budget of $90 million.
In the United States and Canada, The Road Chip was released on December 18, 2015, across 3,653 theaters. The film grossed $4,126,717 on its first day and $14,287,159 in its opening weekend, finishing second at the box office behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($247,966,675).
=== Critical response ===
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, (tba) of 68 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 3.6/10. The website's consensus reads: "In some respects, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip is a marginal improvement over prior installments, although this in no way qualifies as a recommendation." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 33 out of 100, based on 21 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.
Category:Alvin and the Chipmunks
Category:TSG Entertainment
Category:Regency Enterprises
Category:20th Century Fox
Category:Live Action
Category:2015
Category:December
Category:Fox 2000 Pictures
Category:Bagdasarian Productions