There’s not a popular song on YouTube that doesn’t have a “chipmunk” version. Something about hearing your favorite songs sped up is just amusing, and Alvin and the Chipmunks takes that feeling to a whole ‘nother level. While there’s the 1980s cartoon series and The Chipmunk Adventure movie featuring the three chipmunks, we aren’t familiar with the musical numbers.
Not only does this modern adaptation satisfy Hollywood’s craze for realism, with it being both CGI and live-action, it features songs that general audiences know and can’t help but sing along to.
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The Movie Review
Alvin, Simon, and Theodore, three talking and singing chipmunks, find their natural habitat chopped down and furnished as a Christmas tree for Jett Records. They also end up in David Seville’s trash can, his backyard, then his couch. In exchange for meals and TV privileges, the chipmunks agree to sing Dave’s songs.
While the reckless trio makes achieving that goal a challenge, the dream does come true in the end. However, their success comes with its own set of problems, as Ian Hawke, a greedy record executive, tries to split up the family in order to use the boys. Can Dave and the Chipmunks figure out what actually matters in the midst of all the fortune and fame?
One of the screenwriters for this family hit is Jon Vitti, who’s best known for his work in The Simpsons, The Office, and other animated films like Ice Age, Robots, and Horton Hears a Who.
On top of that, co-writers Will McRobb and Chris Viscardi are responsible for the award-winning and well-loved Nickelodeon series The Adventures of Pete & Pete. Not only do they know how to make a kids movie, they also know how to make adults laugh.
The premise of the story leaves a lot of room for it, and Alvin and the Chipmunks is packed with jokes about marketing, adulthood, and the music industry.
First of all, I understand the horror most grown-up audiences might experience. Not everyone can endure an hour and a half of high-pitched animals talking and singing Funky Town, but that isn’t the point of the movie. This movie is about enjoying childhood, Christmas, not caring about corporate greed, or reaching the top charts.
There’s a reason why our main chipmunks are kids, who were abandoned as week-old babies by their hippie parents and are then forced to make money for producers with their talent. But what they really want is cheeseballs, toast waffles, and watching Spongebob Squarepants on the couch.
Of course, the movie isn’t actually that deep and Alvin can be annoying for the most part, but it makes a lot of sense. Kids are annoying and they like seemingly-small dumb things (such as movies like these), but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth caring about.
There are many good things about this movie, such as the comedy, the music, and the performances of the cast. Initially, actors like Jim Carrey, John Travolta and Ben Stiller were considered for the role of Dave.
While I would’ve loved to see any of them, Jason Lee is perfect as Dave and he never failed to prove that in three consecutive sequels. David Cross is also fantastic as Ian Hawke, who is a lovable character despite being a villain.
Lastly, the voice acting of Justin Long, Matthew Gubler, and Jesse McCartney were great. Overall, the movie was mainly carried by great performances and catchy pop tunes, I simply couldn’t ask for more.
The Bottom Line
In conclusion, Alvin and the Chipmunks is equally as entertaining and hilarious no matter how many times you watch it, it’s easily one of those Christmas classics besides Home Alone.
But it’s also fun to watch even when it’s not winter, it makes you wish for December to come. It also makes you wish you had toasted waffles, and that there were real-life singing chipmunks. Most of all, makes you wish Theodore was real.