Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel

***Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel*** is a 2009 American live-action/computer animated musical family comedy film directed by Betty Thomas. It is the second live action/animated film starring Alvin and the Chipmunks and stars Zachary Levi, David Cross, and Jason Lee with the voices of Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney, Amy Poehler, Anna Faris and Christina Applegate. The film was written by Jon Vitti, Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, distributed by 20th Century Fox, and produced by Fox 2000 Pictures, Regency Enterprises and Bagdasarian Company. It is a sequel to the 2007 film *Alvin and the Chipmunks* and was released in theaters on December 23, 2009 by 20th Century Fox. The film grossed $443.1 million on a $70 million budget.

## Plot

Dave (Jason Lee) is injured when a cardboard cutout of Alvin (Justin Long) sends him flying across the stage during a charity benefit concert. Dave asks his aunt, Jackie (Kathryn Joosten), to look after the Chipmunks, Alvin, Simon (Matthew Gray Gubler), and Theodore (Jesse McCartney). Arrangements are also made for them to go to West Eastman High School. After Jackie also has an accident, the Chipmunks are left in the care of Toby (Zachary Levi), Jackie's grandson and Dave's cousin.

Former CEO Ian Hawke (David Cross), who is broke and destitute, lives in the basement of JETT Records. Three singing female chipmunks, Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor, also known as The Chipettes (Amy Poehler, Anna Faris and Christina Applegate), emerge from a FedEx package. Ian recruits and hires the Chipettes in an effort to resurrect his career.

While at school, bullies ridicule the Chipmunks and threaten to kill them because their girlfriends are attracted to them. They chase the Chipmunks around the school, give Simon a swirlie in a toilet and poke at Theodore's butt. The Chipmunks are summoned to the principal's office after attacking the bullies and discover the principal, Dr. Rubin (Wendie Malick), is a fan. She enlists their help to raise money for a music program by participating in a contest. Ian is shocked to find the Chipmunks on the front page of his newspaper. After he reads a story about them, he quickly sends the Chipettes to school.

When the Chipmunks meet the Chipettes, both groups are smitten with each other. However, Brittany reminds the girls that Ian said the Chipmunks betrayed him and are untrustworthy. Alvin and the boys struggle to make it through a rehearsal because of their new crushes. Ian smugly walks in and introduces his new stars, the Chipettes. The boys are shocked to see the girls are working with Ian, and a rivalry emerges when Ian convinces Dr. Rubin to let the Chipettes compete in the Battle of the Bands. Dr. Rubin sets up a concert for the two groups to compete to represent the school.

Alvin becomes popular with the jocks and joins the football team, not realizing that the next game is during the concert. At the concert, Theodore and Simon tell the fans that Alvin failed to show up, and they cannot perform, leading to a victory for the Chipettes. Alvin arrives after the concert to an empty auditorium, and Brittany calls him out for his lack of responsibility. Alvin returns home and attempts to apologize to his brothers, but is ignored. Theodore runs away to the zoo the next day. Alvin and Simon save him from an eagle, and the three reconcile.

Soon, the Chipettes are hired but learn they are to perform as an opening act for a Britney Spears concert on the same night as the school contest. Ian convinces them to call off the battle and perform at the concert, but refuses to give the same credit to Jeanette and Eleanor that he gives Brittany, who demands that they all perform together or not at all, until Ian threatens to send them to a barbecue restaurant unless they perform.

Before the Battle of the Bands, Alvin receives a phone call from the Chipettes, who tell him that Ian has locked them in a cage. Alvin races off to rescue them while Simon tells Jeanette how to pick the lock over the cell phone. Simon and Theodore are on the verge of going out to perform until the others arrive just in time to perform at the contest. The Chipmunks and the Chipettes perform together and receive the money for the music program. Dave, who had left the hospital upon learning that Toby was looking after the Chipmunks, returns during the contest, happy to see the Chipmunks again. Meanwhile, Ian is further exposed at the concert. He sets up for the girls when he attempts to imitate them, only to be taken away by security guards. After the contest, Dave allows the Chipettes to stay with them, Rubin has the jocks scrape the gum off from under the bleachers in the gymnasium as punishment for making Alvin late for the sing-off, and the security guards throw Ian in a dumpster.