Photo Source: USA Today
I’ve had to say no to eating peanuts for as long as I can remember, but when I heard the Peanuts franchise had a new release coming out, it was hard to resist.
The Peanuts Movie is the cutest romantic comedy I’ve seen in ages and it doesn’t make a difference whatsoever that it is an animated movie intended for children. The pre-pubescent characters are still in elementary school, but they have just as many hormones as ‘grownups’.
When we’re first reunited with the beloved characters, it’s winter. While the kids are enjoying a snow day, they see a moving truck unloading boxes at the house across the street from Charlie Brown’s house and mystery ensues.
Charlie relishes the opportunity to make a new friend who doesn’t know anything about his awkward mistakes and when he meets her in school, he immediately gushes over the Little Red-Haired Girl. What’s more, Charlie starts planning a future for them when they are assigned to work together on an assignment. “You’re the only person I know who could turn a book report into a lifelong commitment,” Linus tells his best friend.
If I was a Peanuts character, I’d still wear red sneakers!
The film’s creators stayed true to the original dynamics, without modernizing it. For example, when Charlie writes the book report, he does so by hand without a computer. Even his pet Snoopy has a typewriter! The subplot about Snoopy and his love interest Fifi distracts viewers from the main story and it is unnecessary. Sure, Snoopy is cute, but I didn’t go to the cinema to watch a K9 romance. However, I appreciated how Fifi is portrayed as a smart mechanic who can fix her own airplane. You go, girl!
Any guy who knows how frustrating it is to work up the courage to talk to a pretty girl will like this movie and any girl who has ever hid from her crush will enjoy it too. Charlie Brown is a relatable child. “Pretty faces make me nervous,” he bashfully admits.
This movie is so good that Nancy Meyers could learn a few things. Yes, it is filled with clichéd dialogue, but so is every other romantic comedy. The strong characters and heartfelt plot make up for it. Where else can you see a dog teach his owner how to dance? It’s a new classic!
The Peanuts Movie is now playing in theatres. You can also ‘Peanutize’ yourself as an animated character here: www.peanutizeme.com/