Bee Movie: B- movie

So it begins. My movie week commences and the list is long my friends. So let's start off with the easiest movie to talk about: Bee Movie. The advertising whizzes are telling us that this is Jerry Seinfeld's baby and come hell or high water you have to see this movie and use your children as a beard to get in there. And they have been telling us to see this movie for a year. A YEAR people. So was this movie over hyped? I'll give you my comments and you can decide.

I took my 4 year old daughter, who loves to go to the cineplex, and if there happens to be a movie playing so much the better. I'll add her commentary at the end.

Here is your basic description: Barry B. Benson, a bee who has just graduated from college, is disillusioned at his lone career choice: making honey. On a special trip outside the hive, Barry's life is saved by Vanessa, a florist in New York City.

Sure, there is a lot more to this movie. In fact, that description doesn't even center on the major plot, but that is the section I'm going to focus on, because when it moves toward it's focus, that's when it lost my focus.

If you loved Seinfeld, even liked Seinfeld, then you will enjoy the first 30 - 40 minutes of this movie. The way it explores the world, gliding from one scene to another with the classic Seinfeld observations. I chuckled along merrily with the characters while my daughter joined me as our champion bee was involuntarily inserted into a sporting event. This is where we meet the movie's costar Renee Zellweger. The way she speaks is a little off though, and I could say something politically incorrect here and it would probably be upheld in a court of law, but I'll just leave it at: a little off.

When you look at the IMDB.com page for Bee Movie you will see a who's who list of actors that threw their voices in. It's amazing how many names signed up for this. Matthew Broderick was the straight-laced best friend who wants to do the bee thing and live his life, but is pulled in by Barry. And Seinfeld's main man Patrick Warburton, the man who brought The Tick to the small screen and played Elaine's off and on boyfriend Puddy in the show Seinfeld gives an over the top, mildly entertaining performance here. It's meant to be over the top, but I'm not sure that it actually works. I don't mind over the top, but this just seemed off as well.

It's so hard not to draw a comparison to the Seinfeld program, but this applies to both the sitcom and Bee Movie. When the over-arcing plot takes control, we lose the funny. That's not good for anybody. I cite the series finale as an example. The last few laughing moments are seen as the catalyst for the plot takes place. It's these scenes that introduce us to Chris Rock's few moments and they rock, no pun intended.

It was during the middle of the of the second act that my daughter asked me if we could go home. A four year old asked me to go home in the middle of a cartoon. My devotion to the readers and my faith in Jerry staid my retreat. I did finish the movie.

The conversation with my daughter transpired thusly:

"Did you like the movie?"

"Yes."

"What was your favorite part?"

"When the bees were flying around the park."

"Did you think it was funny?"

"A little bit, I liked it when the bee had a sword on his butt."

"Why did you want to leave?"

"I was scared."

"What scared you?"

"When the man was going to get stung."

Then I lost her to mom serving cookies at snack time.

As far as a rating goes, I give it 2.5 honey combs out of 5 honey combs. The laughs for me were all in the first third/half of the movie. Kudos for the talented voices, but I'm taking half away for scaring my child and losing my interest at about the 3/4 mark.

Elijah

Watching: Veronica Mars, season 3

On deck: Angel complete series