Over the Hedge

***Over the Hedge*** is a 2006 American computer-animated comedy film directed by Tim Johnson and Karey Kirkpatrick. It was theatrically released in the United States on May 19, 2006.

## Plot

In a deserted Indiana campground, a raccoon named RJ attempts to steal a stockpile of food from a sleeping American black bear named Vincent after failing to obtain food from a vending machine. While doing so, he accidentally wakes Vincent up and the pile is destroyed in the ensuing confrontation. Vincent is angered and almost eats RJ, but RJ convinces him to make a deal. RJ says he will replace all of his food in one week before the moon is full, in exchange for not being eaten.

The next morning, a family of woodland animals consisting of an ornate box turtle named Verne, who is the family's leader; an American red squirrel named Hammy; a striped skunk named Stella; two North American porcupine parents named Lou and Penny and their children Spike, Bucky and Quillo; and a Virginia opossum father and daughter Ozzie and Heather awaken from hibernation on the first day of spring, only to discover that most of the forest they've lived in has been turned into a housing development that is separated from the little forest remaining by a giant hedge. Seeing the animals as an opportunity to help pay off his debt, RJ meets and encourages them to traverse the hedge and steal food from the humans. Despite Verne's concerns, the rest of the family join RJ in stealing and stockpiling food and other human stuff, unaware of his true intentions. Gladys Sharp, the neighborhood Home Owners Association president, takes notice of the animal problem and hires exterminator Dwayne LaFontant to get rid of them.

A worried Verne attempts to return the pile of food in order to avoid Dwayne. As RJ tries to stop him, the food ends up destroyed following a chase from an excited Rottweiler named Nugent. Verne attempts to convince his family not to follow RJ, but fails after inadvertently insulting them, destroying their trust in him and causing them to abandon him in favor of RJ. That night, Gladys has Dwayne cover her yard in animal traps, including a federally illegal contraband device called the Depelter Turbo, which turns the entire yard into a death trap when activated.

Verne apologizes to RJ for his actions and reconciles with the other animals. On the night of the full moon, RJ sees that Gladys has bought a massive stockpile of food and enlists the help of the animals to invade her home and steal it. Hammy successfully disables the Depelter Turbo while Stella steals Gladys' pet Persian cat Tiger's collar, which enables entry into the house's pet door, by posing as a cat and seducing him. The animals stockpile another wagon full of food, but just as they're about to leave at sunrise, RJ sees a can of chips and becomes determined to get them as Vincent has specifically requested them. While trying to justify his motivation to get the chips, RJ reveals his true intentions for the food to the animals just as Gladys comes downstairs and catches them red-handed. RJ escapes with the food while Verne and the other animals are captured by Dwayne, who puts them all in cages. Dwayne takes them away in his truck to dispose of them.

As RJ delivers the food to Vincent, he sees Dwayne's truck driving past and feels remorse for his actions towards the other animals. Deciding to rescue them, RJ sends the wagon of food careening and crashing into the truck, which knocks out Dwayne, frees the animals and enrages Vincent. The porcupine triplets commandeer the truck and drive it back to the neighborhood with their video game skills while Verne convinces the others to forgive RJ. The animals crash the truck into Gladys' home and return to the hedge, only to be attacked from both sides of it by Vincent, Gladys and a now-awake Dwayne. RJ gives Hammy an energy drink, making him hyperactive enough to the point of moving at warp speed and allowing him to reactivate the Depelter Turbo. RJ tricks Vincent into leaping over the hedge to eat him, resulting in Vincent, Gladys and Dwayne being caught in the Depelter Turbo and blasted with a massive dose of radiation, finally leaving them trapped inside a cage in the ensuing crater.

The local animal control service ships a dazed and now-furless Vincent to the Rocky Mountains while the police arrest Gladys for possessing the Depelter Turbo and Nugent attacks Dwayne as he attempts to escape. RJ rejoins the woodland creatures permanently alongside Tiger, who remains in love with Stella even after learning she is a skunk, because he can't smell. After Verne thinks they have wasted a whole week without gathering food for the winter, Hammy reveals that he has finally found nuts he has stored for the previous winter, replenishing the animals' food supply.

In a post credits scene, the animals rig the vending machine shown at the start of the movie so that all of the items get pushed forward and fall to the bottom. RJ, however, is unable to open the vending machine.

## Cast

**Bruce Willis** as RJ

**Garry Shandling** as Verne

**Steve Carell** as Hammy

**Wanda Sykes** as Stella

**William Shatner** as Ozzie

**Avril Lavigne** as Heather

**Eugene Levy** as Lou

**Catherine O'Hara** as Penny

**Shane Baumel** as Spike

**Sami Kirkpatrick** as Bucky

**Madison Davenport** as Quillo

**Nick Nolte** as Vincent

**Thomas Haden Church** as Dwayne LaFontant

**Allison Janney** as Gladys Sharp

**Omid Djalili** as Tiger