CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS Review

It may not be as perfect as Pixar’s UP but just like Kung Fu Panda, what CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS lacks in the animation details, it makes up for in the humor and it’s still… got heart. One of the funniest animated movies I’ve seen in years. Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s adaptation is thrilling, sincere, creative, and appetizing. I love this movie!

Bill Hader, star of “Saturday Night Live” and “Night of the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian,” will voice Flint Lockwood, a young inventor who dreams of creating something that will improve everyone’s life. Anna Faris, who recently turned heads as the star of the comedy hit “The House Bunny,” takes on the role of Sam Sparks, a weathergirl covering the phenomenon who hides her intelligence behind a perky exterior. James Caan plays Tim Lockwood, Flint’s technophobic father. Andy Samberg plays Brent, the town bully who has plagued Flint since childhood. Bruce Campbell plays Mayor Shelbourne, who figures out that Flint’s invention can put the town, and more importantly himself, on the map and Mr. T plays the by-the-rules town cop Earl Devereaux.

I really admire how Lord and Miller choose to not mention the credits or the voice stars at the beginning of the movie, goes to show that they’ve put great efforts in placing the story as the headline, the main dish, and when the end credits roll, those of you who may not have gotten the chance to look up IMDb for who voices which character will find surprises at the familiar names that believe in this project.
Great cast by the way. Bill Hader as Flint’s voice is the brilliant, talented one out of today’s SNL bunch in my book, Anna Faris is delightful even when voicing the opinionated Sam the weather-girl whose dream is to have her own Doppler.

I had my fears at first, I thought it was going to be like IGOR, which tells of a story of another inventor and kills the situation with unnecessary gloomy and painful dialogue, but the character Flint Lockwood is more dorky, easy to like, and his silly failed experiments definitely will put a smile on your face. His love interest, Sam, is an equal but in the closet dork.
What I’m very impressed with are the jokes. Every last one of them hit the target, there’s not a dull moment in CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS because Lord and Miller’s sense of humor is gut-busting hilarious and it can apply to audiences of all ages without insulting our intelligence.
From the monkey who wants to grab on to mustache to the man whose head is inside a piece of a macaroni cheese, you will giggle and laugh even if you try to resist it.

The story is surprisingly deep, it’s the father-son relationship that will get you home. The message might be a bit too familiar but you won’t have a problem with it because there’s enough adventure and action to compliment that semi-emotional parts which are still kid-friendly. Lord and Miller make fun of how the older guys don’t know anything about computers and how a society often gets stuck with just one idea and the many variations of that idea instead of thinking outside the box, not to mention the stereotype of looks over brains. The themes may be more than just a few but they’re connected and none of them go astray from Flint trying to be true to himself vs. compromising just to be loved by others.
Open your minds to the imaginative world of CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS and get ready to be served.

* Place the cursor on the image below to check my grade for this film