Review of The Wrong Trousers (1993) by Jake G — 05 Jan 2010

Unfortunately because THE WRONG TROUSERS is a shortish film, and an animation at that, there seems to be an inclination to not take it as seriously as a full-length feature.

This cannot do.

Nick Park, creator of Wallace and Gromit, has created something really special with WRONG TROUSERS, which is in my opinion the best of the trilogy. Whereas A GRAND DAY OUT had little serious peril, was light-hearted in tone, and was limited in scope overall, the second installment of the trilogy eclipses what one would normally term a children's film.

The film begins with Gromit's birthday party, in which he is presented, via train, two gifts: a studded dog collar and Techno Trousers, ex-NASA technology that'll do for "walkies." Gromit is nonplussed.

To make things worse, Wallace discovers that he is badly cash-strapped. The solution, he decides, is to rent out the spare bedroom. Quick as anything, the two have a tenant-- a penguin, oddly enough. Gromit is further disappointed when the penguin takes over his room, than drives him to sleep outside by playing loud music at night. He feels increasingly alienated when, in the morning, the penguin overly-helpfully aids Wallace. It all comes to a head when Gromit decides he's had it and leaves, with Wallace completely oblivious.

And that's when the movie becomes extra-ordinary, with Park taking a page out of Hitchcock's book. The penguin, as Gromit discovers, is clearly up to no good-- he's a jewel thief, and his modus operandi is the Techno Trousers. Which are about to become, for Wallace, the wrong trousers.

As a quick plot synopsis probably indicates, THE WRONG TROUSERS is an alltogether more darker film than would be expected. There are themes of poverty, distrust, betrayal, and true crime-- the kind of things you wouldn't expect in a children's film.

But Park never lets things get too serious, though his second effort seems more directed at adults than children. THE WRONG TROUSERS retains all the charm we expect from the animated duo, though proving Park has some serious dramatic chops.