Ratatouille

After the disappointing and lumber some CARS, Pixar returns to its usual level of brilliance with Brad Bird’s RATATOUILLE. Bird does the improbable; takes a film about the least-cuddly of rodents, makes them adorable and puts them into the world of fine cooking, a place where children are usually not to be found. It is Pixar’s least accessible film thus far, yet there are still plenty of laughs to be had for people of all ages.

The film follows the adventures of Remy (voiced by Patton Oswaldt), the most lovable French rat you’ll ever find, and his quest to find decent food. After inadvertently destroying his family’s hideout, he finds himself separated from them and wandering the streets of Paris. He happens upon Gusteau’s Restaurant, once the greatest restaurant in all of Paris, where he meets a clumsy garbage boy named Linguini (Lou Romano). After they connect and find a puppet/puppeteer relationship between them, both begin to benefit.

As can be judged by the story’s outline, this is definitely the most low-key Pixar film yet. It is a rather laid-back affair, and even when the characters are placed in peril, the situations are never exceedingly grim. The story’s two villains, a dwarfish chef (Ian Holm) that embodies nearly every French stereotype out there and a gothic food critic (Peter O’Toole, firmly in the Christopher Lee school of line delivery) modeled after Nosferatu are rarely intimidating, but the film is more concerned with its main characters than anything else. The story between these characters remains light and breezy, with plenty of humor found in them and among the wonderfully shady members of the Gusteau’s kitchen staff, including a man who has served time for any number of reasons.

The design of the film is sumptuous, and this is easily the most visually inventive Pixar film yet. The camera is set on Remy’s level, gliding effortlessly through cracks in the wall, under tables and underwater, not to mention through Linguini’s hat. Every frame is beautifully composed, vividly illustrating a timeless Paris and giving astonishing detail to the various dishes served up. The attention to detail here alone shows the filmmaker’s quality, something sorely lacking in most animated films nowadays.

While slighter and much less accessible than previous offerings, RATATOUILLE is still a completely enjoyable ride and a step above other recent films of the same genre. Pixar once again proves it is the leading force in American animation; the film is much more refined and nuanced with dynamic characters and filled with more genuine humor than what passes for family films nowadays. Director Brad Bird takes a tricky subject for a children’s film and trusts his audiences will pick up on it. This rather risky project is a complete success. RATATOUILLE is great fun, a carefree time at the movies for people of all ages.

***1/2