Alvin and the Chipmunks
Director: Tim Hill
Cast: Jason Lee, David Cross, Cameron Richardson, Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney
Three musically inclined chipmunks, Alvin, Simon and Theodore, find their tree cut down and sent to Los Angeles. Once there, they meet the frustrated songwriter David Seville, and despite a poor first impression, they impress him with their singing talent. Seeing the opportunity for success, both human and chipmunks make a pact for them to sing his songs. While that ambition proves a frustrating struggle with the difficult trio, the dream does come true after all. Their family is soon shattered, however, when their unscrupulous record executive, Ian Hawke, plans to exploit the boys singing talent. Can Dave and the Chipmunks discover what true family really means amid the superficial glitz and glamor of Hollywood?
Family is a powerful theme in this film and nowhere is it illustrated more differently than in the characters of Alvin, Simon and Theodore and their bond with their “adoptive fathers” Dave and Ian.
When the Chipmunks first meet Dave, they are initially little more than a major annoyance for him. The reluctant caregiver’s bond grows a bit stronger with his mischievous visitors when he discovers that they can sing…and he strikes a deal with them that they agree to sing his songs in exchange for them staying with Dave in his home. While he is initially still reluctant to let the Chipmunks get too close to him, Alvin and his brothers soon start to think of Dave as their dad and they want to be a family with him. And while he is strict with his young charges, and often loses patience with them…especially the ever-mischievous Alvin…Dave does come to genuinely care about the boys.
After a terrible misunderstanding with Dave, “Uncle Ian” swoops in to show the Chipmunks what a “cool father ” can really be like. But unlike Dave who, while he was a strict guardian who didn’t allow much fun, genuinely cared about the Chipmunks (wanting them to still be kids while also being rock stars), “Uncle Ian’s” version of fatherly love is the extreme opposite of Dave’s. While initially being the fun, happy-go-lucky father who gives the Chipmunks all the sweets and toys they could want, he soon turns into a tyrant who forces the Chipmunks to perform their songs for him until they are, quite literally, ready to fall apart.
The Chipmunks soon become disenchanted with having Uncle Ian as their new Dad. While they each had moments of genuine affection with Dave (when he gave Simon his glasses, when he comforted Theodore after he is scared by his nightmare, and when he finally admitted to Alvin that he loved him after Alvin proved to be the most trouble of all) these same moments - shared with Uncle Ian - come with much less affection. He insults Alvin, he mocks poor Theodore and quite literally throws the little Chipmunk out of his bed when poor Theodore has a nightmare and gives Simon ugly glasses that don’t work. Their family is born when Alvin and his brothers find their real father, in Dave, when he comes to rescue them from their tyrannical Uncle Ian and admits that he genuinely loves them and wants them to be a family.
While I have always enjoyed watching Alvin and the Chipmunks animated movie and television series, I admit, I did genuinely enjoy watching the live action version as well. I thought the story was very heartwarming (if a touch cheesy at times). The voice casting is stellar, the animation on the Chipmunks is cute and the music is a heartfelt homage to the songs these boys made timeless.
© 2021 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved
Director: Tim Hill
Cast: Jason Lee, David Cross, Cameron Richardson, Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney
Three musically inclined chipmunks, Alvin, Simon and Theodore, find their tree cut down and sent to Los Angeles. Once there, they meet the frustrated songwriter David Seville, and despite a poor first impression, they impress him with their singing talent. Seeing the opportunity for success, both human and chipmunks make a pact for them to sing his songs. While that ambition proves a frustrating struggle with the difficult trio, the dream does come true after all. Their family is soon shattered, however, when their unscrupulous record executive, Ian Hawke, plans to exploit the boys singing talent. Can Dave and the Chipmunks discover what true family really means amid the superficial glitz and glamor of Hollywood?
Family is a powerful theme in this film and nowhere is it illustrated more differently than in the characters of Alvin, Simon and Theodore and their bond with their “adoptive fathers” Dave and Ian.
When the Chipmunks first meet Dave, they are initially little more than a major annoyance for him. The reluctant caregiver’s bond grows a bit stronger with his mischievous visitors when he discovers that they can sing…and he strikes a deal with them that they agree to sing his songs in exchange for them staying with Dave in his home. While he is initially still reluctant to let the Chipmunks get too close to him, Alvin and his brothers soon start to think of Dave as their dad and they want to be a family with him. And while he is strict with his young charges, and often loses patience with them…especially the ever-mischievous Alvin…Dave does come to genuinely care about the boys.
After a terrible misunderstanding with Dave, “Uncle Ian” swoops in to show the Chipmunks what a “cool father ” can really be like. But unlike Dave who, while he was a strict guardian who didn’t allow much fun, genuinely cared about the Chipmunks (wanting them to still be kids while also being rock stars), “Uncle Ian’s” version of fatherly love is the extreme opposite of Dave’s. While initially being the fun, happy-go-lucky father who gives the Chipmunks all the sweets and toys they could want, he soon turns into a tyrant who forces the Chipmunks to perform their songs for him until they are, quite literally, ready to fall apart.
The Chipmunks soon become disenchanted with having Uncle Ian as their new Dad. While they each had moments of genuine affection with Dave (when he gave Simon his glasses, when he comforted Theodore after he is scared by his nightmare, and when he finally admitted to Alvin that he loved him after Alvin proved to be the most trouble of all) these same moments - shared with Uncle Ian - come with much less affection. He insults Alvin, he mocks poor Theodore and quite literally throws the little Chipmunk out of his bed when poor Theodore has a nightmare and gives Simon ugly glasses that don’t work. Their family is born when Alvin and his brothers find their real father, in Dave, when he comes to rescue them from their tyrannical Uncle Ian and admits that he genuinely loves them and wants them to be a family.
While I have always enjoyed watching Alvin and the Chipmunks animated movie and television series, I admit, I did genuinely enjoy watching the live action version as well. I thought the story was very heartwarming (if a touch cheesy at times). The voice casting is stellar, the animation on the Chipmunks is cute and the music is a heartfelt homage to the songs these boys made timeless.
© 2021 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved