Quick Review: Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (2009)

CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS

BY CHRISTOPHER HASKELL
OCTOBER 19, 2013

Loosely based on the popular children’s book of the same title, “Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs” is wholly hilarious, with off-beat humor that is fresh and a cast of voices that enthralls and entertains every step of the way. Embracing the “follow your dreams” mentality, “Cloudy” sees its protagonist Flint Lockwood (voiced by Bill Hader) trying to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a scientist. He sets out to do this by creating a machine that turns water into food, as their town, Swallow Falls, is known for only one food item: sardines. When the device gets away from him and enters the atmosphere, food begins falling from the sky. The premise of the film is fantastic, giving a reason for the falling food from the book. Also, the story arc is pertinent, with Flint and his best intentions getting lost along the way. Anna Faris, James Caan, Andy Samberg, and Bruce Campbell round out the fantastic ensemble voice cast while a talking monkey becomes one of the funniest gags of the film. Along with hilarious voice-over action montages and attention to humorous details all its own, “Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs” not only becomes one of the funniest kids movies of the last decade but puts the Sony Animation studio on the map.

RELEASE DATE
September 18, 2009

DIRECTOR
Phil Lord
Christopher Miller

WRITTEN BY
Phil Lord
Christopher Miller

BASED ON
“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”
by Judi Barrett & Ron Barrett

STUDIO
Columbia Pictures
Sony Pictures Animation
Sony Pictures Releasing

PG
(for brief mild language)

ANIMATION
ADVENTURE
COMEDY
FAMILY
FANTASY
SCI-FI
90 minutes