Review of film: "HOP"

2011, 03-31:

Review of film:  “HOP”

                                                             “HOP” TO IT!

Life can be difficult for a kid when your dad is the “BIG MAN” in his field.  That’s the problem confronting “E.B.” (voiced by RUSSELL BRAND).  His dad wants him to follow in his “paw-steps”, & the son wants to be a DRUMMER...

...  Yes, “E.B.” is short for “EASTER BUNNY”, & his dad (voiced by HUGH LAURIE) is the long-time “TOP hare” of this Holiday time, with his “headquarters” being on EASTER ISLAND, naturally!... 

...  Dad’s assistant, Carlos (voiced by HANK AZARIA), is in charge of the “workers” preparing Easter eggs, candy and other gifts, & he’d like to take over when Dad retires--  but he finds it hard to be taken “seriously” in his “chirping”...

... The Universal film starts off very “appropriately”, with its familiar “Globe” logo turned into an EGG shape right at the beginning...

...  Not long after we see the “Bunny Hutch” area, we’re soon introduced to the “HUMAN” side of the story, in the form of “slacker” Fred O’Hare (JAMES MARSDEN).  He has similar problems with his OWN dad, Henry (GARY COLE), who’s also not thrilled with the path his son wants to take (namely, as a do-nothing “SPONGE” still living at home!)...     

...  Since James has regularly come up with “excuses” for not doing much in life, his whole family is in an “INTERVENTION” mode:  his mom, Bonnie (ELIZABETH PERKINS) reads what amounts to the “riot act” to him, echoed by his oldest sister Sam ( KALEY CUOCO) and kid sister Alex (TIFFANY ESPENSEN)...

...  Since James lacks much “drive”, Kaley helps him get a “house-sitting” job with someone she knows...  Shortly after he moves in there, he chances to (literally) run into E.B. who’s run away from his Island to try to get some DRUMMER job...

...  Now, this may come as a “shock” to you, but James is “taken-aback” when he finds a bunny SPEAKING to him (and it’s NOT because E.B. is using a British accent!)...  He tries to put E.B. “out-of-the-way”, but E.B. tends to want more “comfortable” digs and COMPANY where he’s living...

...  E.B. tags along as James drives to go to a job interview with Mrs. Beck (CHELSEA HANDLER), which James (typically) “screws up”... 

...  All the while, E.B. tries to move forward with his OWN dreams, by trying out as a drummer for an “IDOL”-like TV show (hosted by DAVID HASSELHOFF)...   

...  When Carlos reveals that E.B. has run away, the “Big Bunny” sends the “Pink Beret” martial trio to try to track him down & forcibly RETURN him to the island (since he’ll soon be needed for the upcoming EASTER season)... 

...  James would prefer that E.B. go “away”, as his being around leads to a lot of “HARE RAISING” situations, whereas James likes the “simple” life... 

...  But, when James learns about the “background” of E.B., he decides that maybe he himself would enjoy BEING the next “Easter Bunny”!...  One might say that, since he “Bugs” people anyway, he was eager to “get away” from them by becoming a “LEGION-HARE”...

...  Will one of the major characters in this Easter story turn out to be a “good EGG”, or will the “yolk” be on them?...  Will E.B. be able to realize his ambition of being a drummer?  Will James’ goal of being the “Top Bunny” turn out to be “FUNNY”?...

...  Yes, on “paper”, it sounds like a sort of “silly” set-up for a film...  But, they play it “straight” (rather than “dumb-down” the idea and dialog), &, to the surprise of a number of people (including me), it’s a really CUTE & CHARMING film!...

...  People have made “fun” of Marsden for taking a role like this.  But, he’s really FINE in his character work, being both “breezy” & “BELIEVABLE” as he’s talking to the excellently animated characters of E.B. & his “friends”!... 

...  There were loads of pre-teen kids in the audience, &, even tho the language & situations were not typically “over-simplified” for such an audience, the kids “GOT” the jokes, & happily SANG-ALONG with a bunch of the songs (including about liking CANDY), & heartily applauded at the end... 

...  Since the “live-with-animation” worked so WELL, & the story was so delightfully and successfully done (for its “intended” audience of both kids & others), I’m rating this at 7.75 out of 10 stars...  (And, do stay thru the credits, as there’s some “EXTRA” things to see there!)...

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