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Back Shelf Beauties
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Garfield Garfield was a huge, smash comic sensation almost 20 years ago, so it's surprising that he has resurfaced as movie fodder in the year 2004. It's not like he is the hot thing everyone is talking about or some rock star who wants to cash in on his one hit wonder before it's too late (I'm talking to you Courtney Love! Maybe she is more of a no hit wonder?). Is there anything new here that hasn't been tried in the cartoon strip? Yes, but not much, and nothing that will anger Garfield devotees. Bill Murray provides the voice for Garfield - a suburban house cat who has grown fat on lasagna and arrogant from the attention and coddling of his owner, Jon (Breckin Meyer). He's the King of the Cul de Sac stealing milk with his pals, driving the neighbor's Doberman Pincher crazy and finding every way possible to loaf around. However, Garfield's world is rocked when Jon decides to take in a stray dog, Odie, to impress Dr. Liz (Jennifer "If it's Friday, I'm in" Love Hewitt) - the woman Jon has dreamed of since high school, but never had the courage to take out on a date. Through a series of movie-like twists and turns, Odie accidentally runs away, and Garfield must save him when all of the other animals in the neighborhood think he sent Odie away on purpose. Can Garfield save the day? Garfield is a great kids' movie, and a good adults' movie. Both groups can laugh at Garfield's antics, his funny one-liners, pratfalls and narcissistic way of looking at life, but adults will notice one major flaw and a few minors ones as well. Writers Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow inadvertently created two plots that should have been combined into one, or served as two different movies. Early in the film, Garfield tags along on Jon's date, which leads to a series of fish-out-of-water situations that scare the cat so much that he never wants to leave his beloved cul de sac. While this helps to establish the movie's ultimate plot (which I won't give away here), it could have served as its own movie if expanded with more detail and more action. Garfield's adventure to find Odie incorporates the same theme of making the king leave his castle (or cul de sac in this case) and the wild, funny things that happen to him in the outside world, but feels like a retread of Garfield's earlier adventures on Jon's date. Aside from that, and a painful closing song and dance number by Garfield seen in many of the commercials on TV, Cohen, Sokolow and director Peter Hewitt have done a good job of bringing these well-known characters to the screen. The movie works because Odie, despite his obvious lack of intelligence (he's the only animal who can't talk), oddly becomes Garfield's equal and playful rival. In many ways, Odie takes the part of Garfield's younger brother who wants to tag along and play with the cool kids. You can even say he admires Garfield, in spite of all the harassment and mistreatment, and even the fat cat might have a soft spot in his heart for the little mutt. Meanwhile, Hewitt gives us a pompous hero who gets taken down a few pegs to make him more lovable and sympathetic, which can be a great way to win over the audience when done correctly. Garfield, helped immensely by Murray's attitude and voice, seems to have the whole world at his feet, but we see that he is a big fish in a small pond, which brings us to the best part of Garfield. Hewitt, Cohen, Sokolow, 20th Century Fox and Garfield fans everywhere should thank their lucky stars, God, Allah, Buddha or whoever they worship for Bill Murray. With his acerbic wit, masterful way of using vocal intonations and attitude, Murray shows why he is the only person who can make Garfield come to life. While he is the only cartoon character on the screen, the amazing CGI work and Murray's performance make you believe this cat exists. He blends in seamlessly, and Murray makes even the most predictable lines funny. Garfield runs out of steam and gags towards the end, but it's a fun movie with some moments of comic greatness provided by Murray. 2 ½ Waffles (Out Of 4) Copyright 2004 - WaffleMovies.com
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