Despicable Me

Gru and his yellow minions have become iconic animated characters, but this week’s film is the original story that started it all.

Hoping to be recognized as the world’s greatest supervillain, the self-centered and cold-hearted (but cartoonishly comical) Gru plans to prove his supreme villainy by stealing the moon itself. While working through his plans, he happens to spot three young orphan girls selling cookies and decides he could use them in a little scheme to steal equipment he needs. He adopts the girls, planning on soon abandoning them again when they’re no longer useful.

Of course, anyone can predict what happens next, but it’s still ridiculous fun. Gru is at first perpetually annoyed that the girls simply don’t just do what he says, but slowly comes to enjoy their company, and, like the Grinch growing a heart, begins to care about them. Eventually he’ll have to decide what’s more important: villainy and fame, or the modest joys of a loving family?

Both hilarious and heart-warming, Despicable Me does not take its villains’ mischief too seriously, and offers a simple tale about the power of a loving family. The film is family-friendly, but does include small bits of crude humor.

Runtime: 1 hour, 35 minutes
Rated PG
USCCB rating: A-I
81% on Rotten Tomatoes
IMDb Parents Guide