Review of The Smurfs (2011) by Scott W — 13 May 2012

Smurfs was better than I thought. I took my daughter to see it (age 8). Unlike other children's movies though, I was dreading going. But I confess: I'm pleasantly surprised. There were several scenes that were quite funny. Azaria's Gargamel is obsessive, Smurf-hating, vein and unable to complete his melodramatic analogies ("My power will be as immeasurable as....as...something that can't be measured). NP Harris does a fine job as a father-to-be and stressed-out ad exec ( though Jayma Mays' portrayal of his wife, Grace, Makes one think the character is high). Typical CGI slapstick abounds, with some notable humor from Garagmel's "almost talking" cat, Azrael. The biggest laugh for adults comes when the Smurfs are discussing how they are named for their personalities (apparently there is one named "Passive-Aggressive Smurf"). The kids will like it, and it shouldn't be too scary for those 4-5 and up. Despite the PG rating, there isn't much to worry about for parents other than some use of the word "Smurf" for some light innuendo ("Awww, guys...who just smurfed?).

Overall: An enjoyable children's movie that entertains and even touches more than expected. And you won't have that "dead inside" feeling you got from the Alvin and the Chipmunks franchise.