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The animals from the park just plot to steal the nuts. The criminals in the nut shop just plot to rob the bank across the street. Watching these two unconnected, unfolding plots run parallel to each other is a fresh and clever ride, because neither group ever cares about what the other group wants. Unlike what the likes of Disney might have attempted to served up, these human-like, talking wild animals never try to interact with people and never try to stop the bank robbery. They're wild animals. Why would they care about money? They just want the nuts, man. Winter's coming. Same goes for the gangsters, the squirrels never enter their plans.

It's truly a blast when these two stories converge in the wonderfully climactic final scenes. Literally. Dynamite's involved.

Also notable is the peripheral running gag spoof on spotlight-stealing heroism as personified by the foraging team's silly-headed so-called leader Grayson (Brendan Fraser). It's absolutely hilarious how useless he is, and yet he's considered the park's hero. What's brilliant as well about this 86 minute picture is that it's not a typical 'let's all be friends and work together, group hug and sing a song' type of tots movie. There's no overwhelming moral or compromise. Surly's character merely evolves slightly when he grudgingly realizes he can't easily get what he wants without the help of Andie and the team, but that alliance is always shown as being a fragile one. Mutual trust is earned.

Definitely a refreshing twist on a familiar beat, The Nut Job is a cleverly-written, thoroughly enjoyable Canadian-made adventure for little kids and animation fans of all ages that's well worth checking out on the big screen. Good stuff! Reviewed 01/14, © Stephen Bourne, moviequips.ca

The Nut Job is rated PG by the Ontario Film Review Board, citing suspenseful situations with short scenes or glimpses of scary characters or images usually in comedic, fantasy or historic setting, crude content, bullying, limited embracing and kissing, and restrained portrayals of non-graphic violence, and is rated G by la Régie du Cinéma in Québec.


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showtimes: http://www.google.ca/movies?near=kanata-ottawa&hl=en&view=map&date=0

REFERENCE:

Website: http://www.thenutjob.com/
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnZQHbF5PeA
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1821658/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nut_Job
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNutJobMovie
Plus: http://www.toonboxent.com/the-nut-job-feature/
Plus: http://ca.eonefilms.com/films/the-nut-job


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