The Nut Job
Director: Peter Lepeniotis
Writers: Lorne Cameron (screenplay), Peter Lepeniotis
Stars: Will Arnett, Brendan Fraser, Liam Neeson

Surly is a squirrel with an attitude problem. He’s out for himself, and doesn’t worry about the rest of the inhabitants of the park. When his attempt to steal the contents of a nut cart goes horribly wrong and ends up destroying the park’s food reserves, he is exiled from the community. Alone in the big city, Surly realizes what he is missing but when he finds a local nut shop, he has the chance to redeem himself in the eyes of his fellow park dwellers.

This is a sharp and fun animated feature that will no doubt pack them in over the summer break. The animation of the piece is impressive and the movement of the squirrels and the other woodland creatures is captured with style. The are some great set pieces in this film, with fast paced chases and moments of tension as the various attempts to liberate the nuts are foiled.

The choice of Will Arnett as Surly works well, and his wise cracking attitude suits the part perfectly. Will has previously worked on comedy shows such as Arrested Development and 30 rock. Liam Neeson adds some gravity to the part of Racoon, the leader of the park, who is not as clean cut as you would expect.

The plot of this film is unusually complicated for an animated adventure. There are various heists and capers that carry the movie along, and a lot more strands to hold together than you’d expect. It might not be suited for younger kids, I went with my three year old niece and while she loved the characters, I’m not sure who much she actually followed! It’s perfect for five year olds and above.

While there is more than enough to occupy any kid, a lot of the humor is quite slap stick in nature and parents may find it a tougher experience. It’s really one for the little people! This feature falls nicely into the second tier of animated features, not a classic, but an enjoyable 85 minutes.

Nut job opened in American in January and grossed 27.5 million on its opening weekend. Nut Job 2 has already been announced, so expect to see more from these characters over the next few years.