Aubrey Malone
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (G)
We’ve had dinosaurs ruling the Earth. We’ve had robotoid cowboys on a virtual reality game show. We’ve even, for God’s sake, had vampires from outer space. But what filmgoers really needed was, yes, an episode of American Idol featuring a trio of singing chipmunks. This is what’s always been needed to fill that celluloid-shaped hole.
Those of you who’ve seen The Chipmunk Adventure in 1987, or the series of “squeakquels” it spawned from 2007 onwards, will be familiar with the adorable trio of Alvin, Simon and Theodore, the “children” of struggling songwriter Dave (Jason Lee). We first meet them in the present venture when they’re in celebratory mode at a party. They’re worried about the fact that Dave is getting too close for comfort with his girlfriend, Samantha (Kimberley Williams-Paisley). In fact he’s gone so far as to buy an engagement ring for her – or so they think. Marriage to Samantha, they feel, would mean less attention for them from him. And this bunch of hyperactive creatures crave attention. So they set out to scupper his plans.
Samantha’s son Miles (Josh Green) is of a similar frame of mind. He’s been deserted by his father and he feels history will repeat itself if his mother marries Dave. So he has a common ambition with Alvin & Co. in seeing that the forthcoming engagement doesn’t happen. It’s one of the few things they share in common at the beginning of the film. Bonding comes only later as Miles softens in his attitude towards them – and little Theo saves his life.
Unbeknownst to Dave, the four of them trail him to Miami where he’s going to attend the aforementioned American Idol show. Along the way they manage to release a veritable menagerie of animals onto a plane, indulge in a wild street party in New Orleans, and engage in some seriously manic country & western line-dancing in Texas.
The villain of the piece is Agent Suggs (Tony Hale) a bungling, self-important air marshal who’s been dumped by his girlfriend as a result of a recent chipmunk-themed Christmas party (don’t ask). As a result, he has no great love for the furry little creatures as a breed. In fact after their aerial menagerie antics he makes it his business to inflict as much damage on them as he can. (Guess who wins out here?) Suggs’ mishaps are the high points of the action, Hale pulling out all the stops in a carpet-chewing performance.
It’s all great family fun, embellished by some song and dance routines. So infectious is the film, in fact, that in no time you’ll see nothing even slightly unusual about the idea of a triad of clothed and/or bespectacled squirrel lookalikes discussing the finer points of domestic bonding – and adoption – with their long-suffering minder.
The film even finds time for in-joke references to films like The Shining and A Fistful of Dollars amidst all the hysteria. And there’s a cameo from John Waters.
It ticks all the boxes for young audiences – and the even better news is that it comes to us blissfully devoid of the dreaded 3D specs. Go see.