Tom and Jerry (2021)

Tom and Jerry (2021)

 

4/10

Starring

Chloë Grace Moretz

Michael Peña

Colin Jost

Rob Delaney

Ken Jeong

Directed by Tim Story

The main issue with this movie is the sidelining of the titular characters, Tom and Jerry, to the background of a story that isn’t worth anyone’s time. On top of that, the directing feels sloppy, and the pacing is all over the place—it’s a miracle if you can sit through this movie without dozing off.

Tom and Jerry, the iconic duo, are reduced to supporting characters in their own movie. I have to admit, I was completely disappointed. I had been so excited to watch this, and what a letdown it turned out to be.

Having grown up watching Tom and Jerry, their animated chases were a staple of my childhood. The pair, created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, have a rich history of entertaining audiences with their countless animated shorts. This movie is only the second fully theatrical film adaptation, following Tom and Jerry: The Movie from 1992. Unlike its predecessor, this one mixes animated characters (for the animals) with live-action human characters.

The plot focuses mostly on a young woman named Kayla (Chloë Grace Moretz), who seems to be a con artist willing to do anything to get ahead. Like every family-oriented movie, she eventually learns her lesson and turns over a new leaf. The problem is how the movie delivers this “lesson”—it comes out of nowhere and feels forced. She was already coasting through life, having gotten lucky, and the movie should have just left it at that.

Kayla lies her way into a job at a fancy hotel, working under Terrance (Michael Peña), the event manager. Terrance is planning a huge wedding for a high-profile couple who resemble Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra. The plot revolves around this wedding, which is supposed to put the hotel on the map.

Meanwhile, Tom and Jerry have their own subplot. Jerry decides to make the hotel his new home, and Tom, still holding a grudge after Jerry ruined one of his scams, chases him there. Predictably, Jerry causes chaos, prompting the hotel manager to demand his removal—after all, a mouse infestation could ruin the wedding and sink the hotel’s reputation.

Kayla convinces the manager to hire Tom to catch Jerry, and this sets up the usual cartoon antics. Here’s an odd twist: in this movie, cartoon animals are treated like minorities with rights and societal roles.

One strength in this movie is its nostalgia factor. Tom hired to catch Jerry, keeps the classic slapstick humor alive, with well-executed chase scenes and physical comedy. So the movie dives into the chase between the two amazing characters that we love. Elsewhere, Kayla struggles to keep the wedding on track and has to deal with the chaos caused by the duo.

The animation blends well with the live-action setting, staying true to the characters’ classic expressions and movements. However, the acting from the human cast is just average. While energetic, it often feels exaggerated to match the cartoonish tone, making the live-action parts less engaging compared to Tom and Jerry’s antics.

Unfortunately, the movie is just not worth it. The gimmicks feel tired, the plot is lackluster, and the focus on the human characters takes away from what made Tom and Jerry beloved in the first place. Save your time for something else.