Alvin and the Chipmunks
DIR: Tim Hill • WRI: Jon Vitti, Will McRobb, Chris Viscardi. • PROD: Steve Waterman, Janice Karman, Ross Bagdasarian Jr.. • DOP: Peter Lyons Collister • ED: Peter E. Berger • DES: Richard Holland • CAST: Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney, Justin Long, Jason Lee, David Cross

Perhaps there’s a nostalgia attached to Alvin and the Chipmunks that eluded this reviewer. There may even be a quality to squeaky voices singing that makes children go wild and maybe, just maybe, Alvin and the Chipmunks will appeal to older fans, as well as younger, but for this reviewer, Tim Hill’s film took ninety precious minutes of my life that will forever be missed.

The plot. Is there any need to expend much time on it? Dave, played by a perpetually smiling, irritating Jason Lee, is the down-and-out loser of the piece. From the get-go we are signposted the following – Dave is unorganized, haphazard, unlucky. His songs are rejected by the malevolent music producer Ian (David Cross) within minutes of the film’s opening and all looks to be going very badly indeed for poor Jason Lee. Cue Alvin and his two Chipmunk brothers, Simon and Theodore, showing up in Dave’s house after their home, a tree of course, is chopped down and shipped away. Simon is the brains of the three Chipmunks brothers, Theodore the small, cute one and in a film completely devoid of laughs, his moments of cute childish innocence provide the only sense of real entertainment or warmth. However, all of these character traits, and the simple incongruity of Jason Lee accepting the idea of three talking chipmunks as such within two minutes or so of first encountering them, is beside the point-Alvin and his Chipmunk brothers will show us the stresses and strain of fame as they are catapulted into the spotlight following a string of musical hits.

Nothing much happens along the way and at the moments that may be aimed most at children – the Chipmunks playing with all the toys they can get their hands on, for instance – there is a real lack of excitement and childish energy that shows how badly Tim Hill and his writers have missed their mark. The film is also littered with pop culture references aimed at adults that will clearly go over the heads of young children, but furthermore, aren’t even amusing to adult viewers. One American reviewer said ‘For adults, it’s like being hit over the head with a mallet every ten seconds for ninety minutes’. He wasn’t far wrong. The jokes are few and far between. The chipmunks are straining on the eye and straining on the ear and Jason Lee should stick to television. As for director Tim Hill, he should start re-assessing his career. Don’t take younger ones to this unless as some form of punishment. Alvin and the Chipmunks? Alvin and ninety minutes of utter boredom.

Jason Robinson
(Read biog here)

Rated G (see IFCO website for details)
Alvin and the Chipmunks is released on 20th December 2007
Alvin and the Chipmunks – Official website