The cute, squishy alien creatures in Dreamworks' latest picture — based on the acclaimed children's book The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex — come to earth looking for a place to hide from their mortal enemy, but soon find the planet’s inhabitants are not quite what they expected.
[movies name="Home" website="http://www.dreamworks.com/home/" score="3.0" trailer="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyqZf8LiWvM" rating="pg" advisories="Mild action and some Rude humor" genre="Animation/Adventure/Comedy" runningtime="94" opens="March 27, 2015"]
Meet the Boov, a gleeful yet flawed clan of pint-sized beings that change color as they express emotion. If a Boov is angry, they turn a blood red, if sad, a deep blue.
They are on the run from a sinister alien race known as the Gorg, a seek and destroy party of big triangular baddies. Among earth's new residents is Oh (Jim Parsons of Big Bang Theory fame), a misfit of sorts who has trouble connecting with others and can’t seem to catch a break. Once on earth, he accidentally sends a house warming e-vite to the entire universe, effectively alerting the Gorg and compromising their new home.
Oh is instantly held accountable and banished by Captain Smeck (Steve Martin), the hilariously inept, self-proclaimed Boov leader.
Humans are abducted, trapped inside forcefield bubbles and relocated to Australia, all but one — a raspy voiced teenager named Gratuity “Tip” Tucci.
Photo Credit: Dreamworks AnimationPhoto Credit: Dreamworks Animation
Tip (Rihanna) is on a quest to find her mother and ends up joining forces with Oh, who later transforms her car into a makeshift aircraft fit with a hotdog machine.
A bond is formed as the pair learn valuable lessons along their journey. Tip becomes sympathetic to the Boov ways, while Oh manages to transcend his inherent cowardice, bringing human virtues to his own race, which in turn helps save them.
Director Tim Johnson (Antz) manages to implement these characters well, successfully giving them room to develop. Unfortunately, the animation style is bland and fails to stand out among genre giants like Frozen and How to Train Your Dragon.
Home sets a strangely fast pace from the get go. Events move quickly and before we now it the film is ending on an all-to-familiar note, leaving much to be desired. Thankfully the cast brings their wit and vocal expertise. Parsons will surely be a hit as the adorable pint-sized hero. His broken, backwards English is endearing — at one point asking Tip “what is the purpose of your face” when she's noticeably angry.
Rihanna fits her role effortlessly, and turns in an impressive original soundtrack full of somber pop songs that compliment the adventurous, colourful buddy comedy.
Home is a charming, family-friendly experience with plenty of heartwarming moments and hopeful reminders of what makes us human.
Home opened last night and is showing locally at Film.ca.
