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Making a good children's film is not as easy as it seems. It's not enough to pick a tired moral and conjure up a goofy sidekick. It takes a host of ingredients; the best contain timeless humor, dress old messages up in new ways, and captivate the entire family.
With Ratatouille, Pixar has done all three, and it's done them with the studio's characteristic gutsiness and considerable polish. It is doubtful that any other studio would try to capture the hearts and minds of American audiences with a French rat. It is also doubtful that any other studio would pull it off so effectively.
The story takes place in France, where a rat named Remy (voiced by comedian Patton Oswalt) finds that he possesses a deep appreciation for food, especially compared to the rest of his species. Before long, Remy is separated from his colony and finds himself in the sewers beneath Gusteau's, a famous Parisian restaurant, where he gets a front-row seat to the goings-on in the kitchen.
Cue Linguini, a klutzy young man whose mother has just passed away, and who's looking for a job. He's hired as a garbage boy, but oversteps his authority and starts fiddling with a pot of soup. Remy sees it all, knows the soup is being ruined, and decides to intervene. His unique concoction pleases the customer, who happens to be a food critic, and Linguini gets the credit. He also earns the suspicion of Chef Skinner (Ian Holm), who owns Gusteau's, and is dismantling its reputation piece-by-piece with a line of cheap frozen foods.
In the aftermath, Remy is discovered, and Linguini is ordered to discard him. In the process of doing so, he realizes that the rat can understand his words, and is the one responsible for the soup's sudden deliciousness. The two settle into an uneven partnership, and shortly discover that Remy can control Linguini's movements by hiding underneath his hat and strategically tugging at his hair.
The idea of Linguini being involuntarily controlled through his hair is a bit dubious, but it fits the tone of the film and leads to a hysterical sequence wherein the two of them try to perfect the technique before trying it in the restaurant.
The film's technical prowess is barely worth describing; it is crisp and predictably gorgeous, a given with any Pixar film.
Where Ratatouille does surprise is with its subject matter. In addition to broad, innocuous issues like tolerance, the film also touches on more adult themes, such as illegitimacy and death. This is definitely the most mature Pixar film since The Incredibles. Not surprisingly, both films were written and directed by Brad Bird.
Though it doesn't really need it, the movie also builds steadily towards a resolution, as the ominous figure of notoriously picky food critic Anton Ego (Peter O'Toole) looms over the film's events. His visit to Gusteau's will obviously figure heavily into the film's climax (and it produces a lovely speech on the nature of criticism) but there are several other, less cliché plotlines which command just as much attention.
With Ratatouille, Pixar has once again made the distinction between a children's film, and a family film. It is a work of grace and charm that any generation can enjoy.
With Ratatouille, Pixar has done all three, and it's done them with the studio's characteristic gutsiness and considerable polish. It is doubtful that any other studio would try to capture the hearts and minds of American audiences with a French rat. It is also doubtful that any other studio would pull it off so effectively.
The story takes place in France, where a rat named Remy (voiced by comedian Patton Oswalt) finds that he possesses a deep appreciation for food, especially compared to the rest of his species. Before long, Remy is separated from his colony and finds himself in the sewers beneath Gusteau's, a famous Parisian restaurant, where he gets a front-row seat to the goings-on in the kitchen.
Cue Linguini, a klutzy young man whose mother has just passed away, and who's looking for a job. He's hired as a garbage boy, but oversteps his authority and starts fiddling with a pot of soup. Remy sees it all, knows the soup is being ruined, and decides to intervene. His unique concoction pleases the customer, who happens to be a food critic, and Linguini gets the credit. He also earns the suspicion of Chef Skinner (Ian Holm), who owns Gusteau's, and is dismantling its reputation piece-by-piece with a line of cheap frozen foods.
In the aftermath, Remy is discovered, and Linguini is ordered to discard him. In the process of doing so, he realizes that the rat can understand his words, and is the one responsible for the soup's sudden deliciousness. The two settle into an uneven partnership, and shortly discover that Remy can control Linguini's movements by hiding underneath his hat and strategically tugging at his hair.
The idea of Linguini being involuntarily controlled through his hair is a bit dubious, but it fits the tone of the film and leads to a hysterical sequence wherein the two of them try to perfect the technique before trying it in the restaurant.
The film's technical prowess is barely worth describing; it is crisp and predictably gorgeous, a given with any Pixar film.
Where Ratatouille does surprise is with its subject matter. In addition to broad, innocuous issues like tolerance, the film also touches on more adult themes, such as illegitimacy and death. This is definitely the most mature Pixar film since The Incredibles. Not surprisingly, both films were written and directed by Brad Bird.
Though it doesn't really need it, the movie also builds steadily towards a resolution, as the ominous figure of notoriously picky food critic Anton Ego (Peter O'Toole) looms over the film's events. His visit to Gusteau's will obviously figure heavily into the film's climax (and it produces a lovely speech on the nature of criticism) but there are several other, less cliché plotlines which command just as much attention.
With Ratatouille, Pixar has once again made the distinction between a children's film, and a family film. It is a work of grace and charm that any generation can enjoy.