TMG Scale 7.0 (but my eight year old expert and movie date, Allyson gave it a 10.0)
Starring Emily Blunt as Juliet, James McAvoy as Gnomeo. Other voices were Michael Caine, Jason Statham, Ozzy Osbourne and a few voice cameos by Hulk Hogan, Dolly Parton and Patrick Stewart
This film is not the caliber of Megamind (2010) or the Toy Story franchise, but adults won’t mind sitting through it with their little ones either. In other words, most Dads will not find it as painful to sit through as Despicable Me (2010) This film is cute and funny in parts. Five to twelve year old little girls will love it. My guess is most boys over eight will be less amused.
I must admit I came into this movie with a few serious prejudices. 1.) I hate gnomes. 2.) I rate hummels in the same low esteem as clowns and mimes . 3.) I think any person with more than two yard art figurines probably has serious mental problems. This movie reinforced those prejudices.
This movie takes Romeo and Juliet and and lays it out against the back drop of two competing suburban backyards—-one with red gnomes and one with blue. Red gnomes and blue gnomes are not supposed to mix and despise each other—much like Democrats and Republicans. [You can make up your own metaphor. ] A red gnome falls in love with a blue gnome and off we go.
Sir Elton John did a nice job incorporating his legendary music into a well known fairy tale. Emily Blunt made me fall in love with a cute little gnome girl, despite the obvious—she’s a yard gnome! Any worthwhile animated kiddie film has to have sufficient plot and humor to satisfy the parent taking the child to the movie. This one served up humor for adult and child alike. It might have been a bit more edgey and fun, but I am certain that was not the intent. It’s a nice film even a Dad can enjoy taking his eight year old daughter or niece to see. And we could use more films like it.