By Heather Horton/entertainment editor
The 3-D animated adventure The Nut Job will not break any box office records but may be a quiet hero to its targeted demographic, much like its lead character Surly.
The assembly of well-known but not quite A-list actors, lend their voices to the medium-sized rodents in the film. Will Arnett, Liam Neeson and Katherine Heigl attempt to intermingle their personalities in an effort to amuse family audiences. However, the group falls short of eliciting an emotional investment in the characters.
This period piece, which has a predictable plot, begins in fictional Oakton City in 1959. A serious nut shortage threatens the security of the animals in Liberty Park. Surly (Arnett) is a selfish squirrel on the lookout to stockpile nuts with the help of his only ally, Buddy, a mute mouse.
After a mishap, overzealous Raccoon expels Surly from the park against the wishes of compassionate squirrel Andy (Heigl).
Confined to the city, Surly concocts a plan to rob a nut shop. Meanwhile, Raccoon orders Andy and a narcissistic squirrel, Grayson (Brendan Fraser), to scout out a source of nuts in the same area Surly has honed in on.
Turns out, the rodents aren’t the only creatures preparing a heist. A gang of wise-guys use the nut shop as a front for their scheme to rob a nearby bank.
A true gem is found in Precious, an adorable wide-eyed pug, voiced by Maya Rudolph. Precious evokes a few laughs when she joins the cause to help her newly found furry friends.
Don’t miss a final laugh during the credits. A full lineup of characters doing Gangnam Style with a cartooned Psy will make the audience chuckle, especially the kiddos in the theater.
The adventure is somewhat predictable but will resonate with children and those looking for a good family-fun movie.
Final take: An action-packed animated film
Those who would enjoy it: Children and parents looking for 86 minutes of downtime
