Doing no character work with its protagonist and supporting crew, the film puts together a cluster of new characters with fragile motivations in a haphazard story about ... stealing milk?
Narrative context is atypical in this film; every other line is a half-joke, which become so commonplace that they cease to be humorous. Filled with references to good movies — the Mission Impossible series especially — The Garfield Movie prompts us to wonder, who is this for?
The best “kid’s films” are not empty of ideas, but this one masks its unintelligence by asserting that it is for children. Granting the lack of core themes reprieve for being a kids film then begs the question of why it refers to numerous people and cultural events that children aren’t going to understand?
The Garfield Movie is going to age like milk (pun intended). The film opens on a smartphone screen with Garfield narrating a food delivery order — something integral in this forced plot — and goes on to reference dating apps’ premium services, cat meme videos, Shark Tank, and show Jon wearing a smartwatch, which only ever functions cosmetically.
THE GARFIELD MOVIE
Director: Mark Dindal
Cast: Chris Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson, Hannah Waddingham, Ving Rhames, Snoop Dogg
Rating: (G)
★
