The Garfield Movie: A Lazy Affair
As a child, I was obsessed with the cartoon series “Garfield and Friends.” The show’s talented writers and voice actors brought the comic strip by Jim Davis to life, but it was Lorenzo Music’s performance as the lazy tabby that stole the show. Music’s voice, which always sounded like a yawn, perfectly captured Garfield’s laid-back personality.
Fast-forward to the present, and we have Chris Pratt taking on the role of Garfield in “The Garfield Movie.” Unfortunately, Pratt’s portrayal lacks the laziness that defines the character. Instead, he sounds like he’s always up for an adventure, which is not what Garfield is about.
Garfield’s favorite dish
The movie’s storyline follows Garfield’s early days as a kitten, when he was abandoned by his father Vic (Samuel L. Jackson) and found his way to Jon (Nicholas Hoult), his doormat of an owner. The household soon adds loyal dog Odie (Harvey Guillen), and the pets live in sedentary luxury. However, their peaceful life is disrupted when they’re cat-napped by feline crime boss Jinx (Hannah Waddingham) and her hench-cats Roland (Brett Goldstein) and Nolan (Bowen Yang).
The farm heist that sets off the adventure
The rest of the movie is an adventure-comedy that could have been filled with characters from any franchise. The only thing that makes it recognizable as “Garfield” is Odie’s ingenuity and unwavering friendship. A few physical gags work, and there are some scene-stealing moments from the villains and a bull voiced by Ving Rhames.
The dynamic duo
Unfortunately, Chris Pratt’s miscasting as Garfield brings down the entire movie. The film is mostly middling, and it’s a shame because it had the potential to be so much more. At least it’s fully animated, unlike the Bill Murray movies where the environment was live-action and Garfield was a CGI abomination.
The face of disappointment
In conclusion, “The Garfield Movie” is a lazy affair that fails to capture the essence of the beloved character. It’s not a complete disaster, but it’s not anyone’s best work either.
