GARFIELD: THE MOVIE / *** (PG)

June 11, 2004









Garfield: Voice of Bill Murray
Jon: Breckin Meyer
Liz: Jennifer Love Hewitt
Happy Chapman: Stephen Tobolowsky
Arlene: Voice of Debra Messing
Luca: Voice of Brad Garrett
Persnikitty: Voice of Alan Cumming
Nermal: Voice of David Eigenberg


Twentieth Century Fox presents a film directed by Pete Hewitt. Written by Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow. Based on the comic strip by Jim Davis. Running time: 85 minutes. Rated PG (for brief mild language).












BY ROGER EBERT


Yep, this is Garfield, all right. "Garfield: The Movie" captures the elusive charm of the most egotistical character on the funny pages, and drops him into a story that allows him to bask in his character flaws. That Garfield is revealed to be brave and conscientious after all will not surprise anyone, although it might embarrass him.

I don't know who had the idea that Bill Murray would be the right actor to do Garfield's voice, but the casting is inspired. Murray's voice-over work finds the right balance for Garfield -- between smugness and uncertainty, between affection and detachment, between jealousy and a grudging ability to see the other point of view.

In this case, the other POV belongs to Odie, a dog that is given to Jon (Breckin Meyer), Garfield's owner, by his sexy veterinarian, Dr. Liz (Jennifer Love Hewitt). Garfield is shocked and astonished to have to share pillow space with a dog, not to mention quality time with Jon ("You're not just my owner -- you're my primary care-giver"). Being Garfield, he expresses his displeasure not with a humiliating public display, but by subtle subterfuge. He steers the dog outdoors and, dogs being dogs, Odie chases a car and then another one, and gets lost, and is picked up by a little old lady, and then ends up in a pound.

There's a parallel plot involving the talentless Happy Chapman (Stephen Tobolowsky), who hosts a TV show with a pet cat. He thinks maybe using a dog might bring him national exposure, tells the little old lady he is Odie's owner, and as a training strategy, gives him electrical shocks from a cruel collar. Whether Garfield is able to break into and out of the pound, save Odie, expose Chapman and reunite Jon with both the dog and Garfield's own noble presence, I will leave for you to discover.

The movie, based on the comic strip by Jim Davis, has been directed by Peter Hewitt and written by Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow. The filmmakers obviously understand and love Garfield, and their movie lacks that sense of smarmy slumming you sometimes get when Hollywood brings comic strips to the screen. Although Garfield claims "I don't do chases," the movie does have a big chase scene and other standard plot ingredients, but it understands that Garfield's personality, his behavior, his glorious self-absorption, are what we're really interested in. The Davis strip is not about a story but about an attitude.

If they hadn't gotten Garfield right, nothing else would have mattered. But they did. And they've also solved the perplexing problem of how to integrate a cartoon cat into a world of real humans and animals. Garfield talks all through the movie (this is one of Murray's most talkative roles), but only we can hear him; that's the equivalent of his thought bubbles in the strip. Garfield is animated, the other animals and the humans are real, and the movie does a convincing job of combining the two levels. Garfield looks like neither a cartoon nor a real cat, but like something in between -- plump, squinty and satisfied. Uncanny how when he talks, his mouth looks like Murray's.

In a film mostly involved with plot, there are two scenes that are irrelevant but charming. In one of them, Garfield and Odie perform in sort of a music video, and in the other, at the end, Garfield has a solo, singing "I Feel Good" and dancing along. Oh, and Jon and Dr. Liz fall in love, although Garfield is no doubt confident he will remain the center of their attention.

[quote] In this case, the other POV belongs to Odie, a dog that is given to Jon (Breckin Meyer), Garfield's owner, by his sexy veterinarian, Dr. Liz[quote]

wasn't odie given to jon by someone else?

In the strip, Odie actually belonged to Jon's roommate, who eventually disappeared leaving Odie in Jon's care.

Trivia: what was the name of Jon's roommate?

Sounds more like an ad than a review.

Lyman

That was fast. Somebody knows his Garfield!

You are correct, johnglass.

I think Lyman gave Jon Odie because it gave him teh gay.

I can't believe they used a real dog for Odie. Guess they couldn't afford 2 CGI characters.

I totally forgot about Jon's "Roommate".

I cite boobs as the reason.

My only question is this: Why isn't the thread title prefaced with an "EBERT'S LOST HIS MIND!", as per usual?

I think Ebert has given a positive review to 85% of the movies he's reviewed this year.

It's too bad Garfield's original voice, Lorenzo Music, died.

Wow, I had no idea Jon once lived with Freddie Mercury.

And yet he gave Blue Velvet a thumb down when it was released

I haven't seen the movie, but from the clips that I have seen, I think that Bill Murray's voice seems well matched to the character.

Maybe if David Lynch had directed Garfield...

I could see it now...Garfield is walking through a field, finds the severed ear of Odie, and starts his investigation. Throughout the movie, you would have dancing Nermnal (is that the little cat's name that annoys Garfield??) show up in Garfield's dreams, you would have a focus on his obsession with eating lasagna, and Jon would be into sadomaocistic sex with Dr. Liz.

But personally I am waiting for The Passion of Garfield, where Odie plays Pontious Pilate and Jon nails Garfield to the cross as Garfield cries out, "Jim! Jim! Why have you forsaken me!"

I don't think it's necessary for me to justify Ebert's rating, but in any case, he wrote this in a recent review:

Lorenzo Music:


Bill Murray:


Lorenzo is missed, but his replacement sure is apt.

Good point - had I compared the stars the fat man gave Garfield and Blue Velvet. I didn't though, I stated that he gave BV a thumb down and Garfield a glaringly positive review. Gene turns in his grave ....

BTW - I had read that stupid quote before, as there is always someone that whips it out when Ebert's sanity is rightfully questioned.

Well, I'm glad you read it. Next step: reading comprehension. And exactly how many times has that quote been whipped out since April? It's hardly any older than that.