Smurf-Happens
40 not so single, Thursday 18 August 2011
It's school holidays and like many parents I am scrambling around trying to keep the kids entertained particularly during the English Summer.
Almost 5, as she likes to call herself, suggests we go and see The Smurfs and promises me she won't be scared because 'the Smurfs aren't real Mummy, there are people inside the blue costumes you know'. I had to then explain to her that it wasn't a show or theatre production about Smurfs, it was a movie. Almost 5 nods giving me hope she's understood but when we get there and are seated, she whispers 'Movies aren't real are they Mummy?' - No darling I reply, not real at all.
I grew up with the Smurfs - I wasn't addicted to them or anything like that but I watched them whenever they were on TV. I never did understand why there was only one Smurfette but I thought it had something to do with the birds & the bees and felt I wasn't quite ready to broach that subject with my mother, so I let it slide. Turns out Smurfette was created by the villain Gargamel to lure the Smurfs out of Smurf Village. Armed with fond childhood memories I was more than happy to see the movie. The movie storyline in short: Clumsy Smurf inadvertently leads Gargamel (Hank Azaria) to the Smurf's secret village and in the process of scrambling away - Papa, Clumsy, Smurfette, Brainy, Gutsy and Grouchy stumble through a portal and end up in Central Park, New York City.
In NYC, the Smurfs end up in the apartment of Patrick and Grace Winslow. Patrick, who is played by Neil Patrick Harris (aka Barney Stinson in How I Met your Mother) is a nice-guy marketing executive for a cosmetics company Anjelou, and kind and optimistic Grace (Jayma Mays) is pregnant with their first child. The Winslows befriend the Smurfs and help them battle against Gargamel and find a way home. Of course, there's always a moral to the story and Patrick learns what's important to him in the process. At one point I did find it strange that Patrick wasn't pulling any gags or asking anyone to "suit up" but I realised I wasn't watching Barney.
There is good humour, and you can pretty much substitute Smurf into pretty much any expression - I smurf you (I love you), What the Smurf?, Where the Smurf are we?, Son of a Smurf and the list goes on. Almost 5 laughed out loud quite a bit, which surprised me but there was one scene when Gargamel was zapping up Smurfs that she asked me whether the Smurfs would be ok. Thankfully, I didn't have to explain that one as they all got away ok.
Verdict: Almost 5 really enjoyed it. Some bits I heard her squealing which made me smile. It was pleasant enough to sit through for me, I found bits amusing and clever. One memorable scene was when Patrick shows the Smurfs how to use 'google' and Almost 5 turns to me and says 'Mummy you know how to google, you use google all the time" - I didn't know whether that was a bad thing or a good thing but I did laugh at Almost 5. It wasn't Smurf-tastic but then again I didn't expect it would be. All I wanted was a lovely Mummy-daughter date on a rainy afternoon and I got that and Smurf'in more. Only problem is how to get rid of that Smurf song from my head: la la la-la la la ..
Rated: Universal - for ages 4+
40 not so single is a local blog written by a high flying corporate lawyer who finds herself married with 3 kids, 40 and a stay at home mum. Whatever happened to her Gucci handbag and Prada high heels...
