Happiness is still a warm blanket in this fresh flick
You’re in a good movie, Charlie Brown!
Those who have seen the vintage Halloween and Christmas specials a bazillion times or are just finding out now what a Pigpen is will find something to adore about the clever and charming The Peanuts Movie. Director Steve Martino ( Horton Hears a Who!) and producer Paul Feig ( Bridesmaids) bring the gang to computer-generated 3-D life while never overshadowing the timeless quality of Charles M. Schulz’s comic-strip world.
The world is conspiring yet again to doom lovable loser Charlie Brown (voiced by Noah Schnapp) in every way.
He quickly falls for the new student at school, the Little Red-Haired Girl (Francesca Capaldi), though he misses out on every chance to talk with her because he’s the least confident boy ever, fails to show her his moves at the winter dance and has to do their book report by himself when she's out of town. Charlie Brown picks War and Peace for their paper, one of many questionable decisions he makes during the film — though people have done dumber things in the name of love.
Meanwhile his lovable beagle, Snoopy — whose barks and howls come courtesy of archival recordings by the late Bill Melendez — has his own dreamy romance going on with his beloved Fifi (Kristin Chenoweth). Just like in the comics and TV specials, Snoopy steals the movie every time he shows up on screen, and his midair battles aboard his doghouse Sopwith Camel vs. the Red Baron are a big highlight. Sure, World War I flying aces might be a little over young kids’ heads, but Snoopy’s dogged can-do spirit is enough to keep them entertained.
Martino figures out a series of memorable ways to keep the hits from Peanuts classics while giving the whole crew, from blanket-loving Linus (Alexander Garfin) to Beethoven-obsessed Schroeder (Noah Johnston), a little freshness. Pop star Meghan Trainor shares space on the soundtrack with Vince Guaraldi's tinkling piano themes of old. And just look at the moves: Snoopy’s happy dance is in full effect, as is that unnamed kid’s head-bobbing thing from the 1965 holiday special, but there’s also a dude doing the “Running Man.”
The creativity spills over to the technical filmmaking. The characters’ expressions change with the simplest line movements on their faces, and Martino gives Charlie Brown thought bubbles as a way to revisit old gags such as Lucy pulling away the football before the hapless boy can kick it.
Even the stunt casting is inspired. Musician Trombone Shorty plays the signature instrumental wah-wahs of Charlie Brown’s teacher, and Chenoweth lends wordless charisma to Fifi.
Peanuts is all about simplicity, and what the plot lacks in nuance and complexity is made up for with relatable characters whom people have spent a lifetime watching. The movie is a testament to Charlie Brown’s place in pop culture and a showcase for a new generation to fall in love with its perennially insecure star.