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Craig Younkin
Movie Review
Garfield: The Movie
By Craig Younkin Published June 20, 2004
US Release: June 11, 2004
Directed by: Peter Hewitt
Starring: Breckin Meyer , Jennifer Love Hewitt , Stephen Tobolowsky , Bill Murray
PG
Running Time: 86 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $75,367,693
Directed by: Peter Hewitt
Starring: Breckin Meyer , Jennifer Love Hewitt , Stephen Tobolowsky , Bill Murray
PG
Running Time: 86 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $75,367,693
C+
This is another talking cat movie based more on attitude than on jokes, and while that can be amusing, the whole thing starts to get pretty tiresome by the second half.
Garfield (voiced by Bill Murray) is the lazy, pampered, lasagna loving title character of this new film based on the newspaper comic strip and television show. His owner is John Arbuckle (Breckin Meyer), a shy but well-meaning guy who has a crush on Garfield's vet (Jennifer Love Hewitt). In order to win her affections, he takes in a stray puppy named Odie who immediately replaces Garfield as the pet in John's life. So when Odie runs a way, Garfield is the least saddened to see him go. But once he finds out that Odie has actually been kidnapped by a TV pet show star (Stephen Tabolowsky), he ventures out of the peace of the neighborhood and into the dangerous city to get him back.
Garfield is easier to take than most other talking animal movies and he's "The Godfather" compared with Mike Myers in "Cat in the Hat", but that really isn't saying much. Garfield is America's favorite cat but he is best taken in small doses, which is to say nothing longer than the comic strip in the paper everyday. This is another talking cat movie based more on attitude than on actual jokes, and while that can be amusing for a while, the whole thing starts to get pretty tiresome by the second half.
Luckily enough this movie was able to snag Bill Murray for the voice of Garfield. He makes even the cheesiest lines forgivable and his voice is perfect. Otherwise the cast is pretty bland, with throwaway actors like Meyer and Hewitt looking as boring as ever. In my mind I always saw Luke Wilson as John Arbuckle, and I imagined Garfield's veterinarian as someone who has more talent than the very short mini-skirts she for some reason wears; I'm sure the kids won't care about either one.
This movie is about the cat, and the special effect is edited seamlessly into every scene. Just the script is another story, as bringing talking cats to the big screen is going to take more than just attitude, otherwise the talking cat movie is destined to go the way of the Andrew Dice Clay movie.
Garfield is easier to take than most other talking animal movies and he's "The Godfather" compared with Mike Myers in "Cat in the Hat", but that really isn't saying much. Garfield is America's favorite cat but he is best taken in small doses, which is to say nothing longer than the comic strip in the paper everyday. This is another talking cat movie based more on attitude than on actual jokes, and while that can be amusing for a while, the whole thing starts to get pretty tiresome by the second half.
Luckily enough this movie was able to snag Bill Murray for the voice of Garfield. He makes even the cheesiest lines forgivable and his voice is perfect. Otherwise the cast is pretty bland, with throwaway actors like Meyer and Hewitt looking as boring as ever. In my mind I always saw Luke Wilson as John Arbuckle, and I imagined Garfield's veterinarian as someone who has more talent than the very short mini-skirts she for some reason wears; I'm sure the kids won't care about either one.
This movie is about the cat, and the special effect is edited seamlessly into every scene. Just the script is another story, as bringing talking cats to the big screen is going to take more than just attitude, otherwise the talking cat movie is destined to go the way of the Andrew Dice Clay movie.
Craig's Grade: C+
Craig's Overall Grading: 340 graded movies
| A | 10.9% | |
| B | 41.8% | |
| C | 31.8% | |
| D | 15.3% | |
| F | 0.3% |
