Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)

Director:

Tim Hill

Writers (WGA):

Jon Vitti (screenplay) and
Will McRobb (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

14 December 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Music

Tagline:

Here comes trouble.

Plot:

A struggling songwriter named Dave Seville finds success when he comes across a trio of singing chipmunks: mischievous leader Alvin, brainy Simon, and chubby, impressionable Theodore.

Plot Keywords:

Sitting On Rooftop | Lobby | Muffin | Father Son Relationship | Cupboard

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Jason Lee	...	Dave
David Cross	...	Ian
Cameron Richardson	...	Claire
Jane Lynch	...	Gail
Justin Long	...	Alvin (voice)
Matthew Gray Gubler	...	Simon (voice)
Jesse McCartney	...	Theodore (voice)
Allison Karman	...	Female Intern #1
Tiara Parker	...	Female Intern #2
Kira Verrastro	...	Female Intern #3
Veronica Alicino	...	Amy
Beth Riesgraf	...	Mother in Store
Adriane Lenox	...	Vet
Don Tiffany	...	Engineer
Lorne Green	...	Director

MPAA:

Rated PG for some mild rude humor.

Runtime:

USA:92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

South Korea:All | Ireland:G | Malaysia:U | Australia:G | Philippines:G (MTRCB) | USA:PG | Sweden:Btl | New Zealand:G | Argentina:Atp | Switzerland:0 (canton of Geneva) | Brazil:Livre | Germany:o.Al. | Portugal:M/4 | Switzerland:0 (canton of Vaud) | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-3 | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Canoga Park, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Bagdasarian Productions

Trivia:

Alvin wears the signature red baseball cap twice in the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Dave is discovering the chipmunks, the bowl in the middle (while upside down) changes position between camera shots.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Alvin (singing voice), Simon (singing voice), Theodore (singing voice): [a capella] Where is the moment we needed the most/You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost/They tell me your blue skies fade to gray/They tell me your passion's gone away/And I don't need no carryin' on/Cause you had a bad day/You're taking one down/You sing a sad song just to turn it around/You say you don't know/You tell me don't lie/You work at a smile and you go for a ride/You had a bad day/You've seen what you like/And how does it feel for one more time/You had a bad day/You had a bad day/
Alvin: [pushing the last of the acorns into the tree] It's going, It's going.
[gets sucked in and falls out with all of the acorns]
Simon: And it's gone.
Alvin: [from inside the tree] Whatever!
Theodore: Maybe we should take a break.
[an acorn hits him on the head]
Theodore: Ouch!
Alvin: That's it! I can't take this anymore! I can't! I give up! I'm sick of struggling for survival! Competing with gophers and earthworms, and that loser sparrow who always takes my nuts! And I'm especially sick of this stupid, stupid...*tree!*
[...]

Movie Connections:

References Guitar Hero (2005) (VG)

Soundtrack:

Get You Goin'

Not too bad

Alvin and the chipmunks. I guess just about anyone that has ever watched television cartoons knows them. Right before their 50th birthday they make another appearance, this time on the cinema screen in a film that just like Garfield (2004) combines live actors and computer graphics. The story of the film is no new one: a guy becomes the more or less unwilling host to the chipmunks as their tree is demolished and together they roll from one adventure into the other.

For the rest there is not much to tell about this film. It is worked out well enough and most kids will enjoy it. I know the one I watched it with did. It isn't half bad for the adults either. Graphics have been done well enough and the actors work with it well enough to make a nicely working film. Storyline is rather straightforward and very predictable, but not really to the point of being irritating.

All in all, typical children's film that works out well enough for the younger audience and that doesn't put the parents to sleep right from the start 6 out of 10 chipmunks singing