'Despicable Me' Review

We had a GREAT time at the movies last week. 'Despicable Me' was anything but despicable. The plot was ridiculous enough to satisfy kids and adults alike, with enough physical comedy and scripted humour to satisfy both young and old in the audience.

The mommy in me was on high alert, of course. Admittedly, the adoption piece COULD have been more authentic. Here's what stood out for me:

1) No homestudy. No social workers at all!!! Just a syrupy-sweet, stab-you-in-the-back orphanage director. Turns out she's a mono-linguist who melts at being called a donkey by a Russian-accented villain speaking Spanish to her English-only ears. 

2) Insufficient background check. I needed 3 references (or was it four??) plus a criminal records check, and a physical from my doctor... nope. The villain (hero?) in this story only needed talented minions who could overtake the orphanage's computer system and plump up his past accomplishments.   

.. and what I loved:


1) Attachment/boundary testing/true teenage behaviour realistically portrayed "You'll NEVER be my Dad" (from the eldest of the three girls).

But this is Hollywood, and a kid's movie -- about stealing the moon. So honestly, did I expect literalism on the adoption front? No, of course not! 

Aside from the adoption side of the story, it really was a great little movie. You'll enjoy it if you have kids (or if you want kids, or like kids.... I hope you do if you're reading my blog. Unless you're reading this to reinforce your dislike of children, and if that's why you're here, shame on you!) 

In any case, go see it. My little man giggled so hard and so often that he started a ripple effect during the quiet moments. (If you're wondering what those little yellow guys are at the top of the page, those are the villain's minions: the source of my son's constant giggles). Just hearing those giggles was worth the ticket price.