Netflix’s family flick fails to fire
The Willoughbys (7+, 92 mins) Directed by Kris Pearn, Cory Evans and Rob Lodermeier Reviewed by James Croot ★★ 1⁄ 2
The name Willoughby is synonymous with determination, imagination and hope. Throughout history, they’ve been soldiers, scientists, kings and philosophers and every one of them – yes, even the women – has sported a luxurious moustache.
But while young Tim Willoughby (Will Forte) is proud of his family tree, his parents have virtually disowned him and his siblings. From the day he and his young sister Jane (Alessia Cara) and twin Barnabys (Sean Cullen) were born, they have never received any hugs, warmth or even the current day’s food from their self-obsessed father (Martin Short) or mother (Jane Krakowski).
But that hasn’t stopped the quartet of kids from showing kindness and caring towards one another. And when amysterious box arrives, they take in its orphaned child contents. It soon becomes apparent though that they can’t look after her so, under Jane’s direction, they follow the end of a rainbow tomelanoff’s Candy Factory to deposit the child to what they believe is a good home.
That experience also gives Jane her if-iest, ‘‘what if?’’ yet. If the Willoughby children became orphans could they find a better life? Forming the Reprehensible Travel Agency, the foursome create an irresistible, but deadly global itinerary involving volcanic islands, acid hot springs, cannibals and unclimbable alpine peaks that they are convinced Ma and Pa will fall for.
Sure enough, the dastardly duo immediately depart, reluctantly hiring a ‘‘not good nanny’’ (Maya Rudolph) to look after the progeny. However, their parents are not only still alive, but planning on selling the house to continue to fund their travels.
Based on Lois Lowry’s popular 2008 children’s book, The Willoughbys is filled with bright colours, loud noises and black humour. But this lacks the subtlety, emotional heft or narrative clarity of the best of Pixar, Laika, Aardman or Dreamworks.
Writers Kris Pearn and Mark Stanleigh are better known as storyboard artists and it shows, as the scripting and dialogue don’t quitematch up to the visual flair on display.
Likewise, the characters feel a little too one-dimensional. Jane’s showtune obsession is never really explained and others are only notable for a particular trait each.
Elsewhere, the vocal cast, which also includes Ricky Gervais as the tale’s feline narrator, is solid, but unspectacular and Mark Mothersbaugh’s ( Thor: Ragnarok, TV’S What We Do in the Shadows) over-insistent and strident score has a tendency to drown out the action.
Offering fitful laughs and undemanding entertainment, The Willoughbys feels let down by the lack of the very edge (it opens by stating that it’s not for those who want stories about happy families) it claims to possess. Amild disappointment.
The Willoughbys is streaming now on Netflix.