Rated PG for rude humor and mild action
Directed by Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin (first feature film for both)
Starring (the voices of) Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Kristen Wiig, Julie Andrews, Danny McBride and Will Arnett
Despicable Me…Lovable Movie!
Gru delights in all things wicked. Surrounded by an army of tireless, little yellow minions, and armed with his arsenal of shrink rays, freeze rays and battle-ready vehicles for land and air, he vanquishes all who stand in his way. Until the day he encounters the immense will of three little orphaned girls who look at him and see something that no one else has ever seen: a potential Dad.
The first trailer didn’t cause me to have that “oh, I gotta see it” reaction. But I am so glad I took my kids to see Despicable Me. Not only did we laugh through almost the entire film, we thoroughly enjoyed the heart of the story.
First time directors Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin do a fantastic job balancing humor and heart, while keeping things moving and the perfect pace.
The cast includes Steve Carell so I had no complaints. Yeah, I admit I have a “man-crush” on him, but you have to admit he is stinking hilarious. And he does not disappoint at all in Despicable Me. Not only is Carell funny, but the rest of the cast delivers some great laughs as well.
Besides being very funny, the film has this very tender, very heartwarming side. The more I think about it, the more I realize I should not have been surprised. In recent animated films (Toy Story 3 and Up) we have seen the filmmakers deliver powerful and emotional storylines. Despicable Me does the same.
There is no doubt this is one of my favorite films of the year…it is so Worth Buying.
Should Kids See It?
Absolutely!
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
Q: What’s the message/theme of this movie?
A: I loved how the filmmakers showed how love can overcome evil. When Gru hatches the scheme to use three orphans to defeat his enemy he finds himself doing things he never dreamed he’d be doing.
Q: How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
A: We know that 1 Peter 4:8 says, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins”. So we can applaud the message of the film and even be challenged to love those around us.
Q: How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
A: There is no doubt that we have people in our lives who bother, annoy and even hurt us. The question is how can we live out this verse? How can we love those who we consider ‘despicable’?
