The Peanuts Movie

As a kid, I loved Peanuts. I owned several dozen paperback books containing decades of Charles M. Schulz's comic strip, which ran from 1950 to 2000, and the gang's holiday specials were annual television touchstones. So, as my partner and I settled in to watch "The Peanuts Movie" with our kids, two questions hung in the air like anxious thought bubbles: Could the melancholy charm of Charlie Brown and his gang survive a twenty-first century update? And would our six and eight year-old sons - fans of Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, and video games - sit still for ninety minutes of heartwarming neurosis?

I won't keep you in suspense: the answer to both questions was a resounding yes. "The Peanuts Movie" is a warm and funny retelling of classic Peanuts stories with color-rich animation that maintains the simplicity of the comic strips and cartoons while adding depth. And our kids loved it - especially the eight year-old, who roared with laughter throughout.

The story kicks off with a snow day (announced in a phone call from one of the Peanuts world's wah-wah-voiced adults) and the arrival of a new neighbor, Charlie Brown's adored Little Red Haired Girl.

All of your favorite Peanuts characters are here, from the core group (Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Lucy, Schroeder, and Woodstock) to the throwbacks (Patty, Violet, Pigpen) and the 70s additions (Peppermint Patty, Marcie, Franklin).

Familiar storylines and bits are revived, from Charlie Brown's inability to fly a kite to Lucy's revulsion at being kissed by a dog. Sally still worships Linus, Lucy demands Schroeder's affections, and Peppermint Patty blithely takes advantage of 'Chuck' and good-natured Marcie. And Snoopy's flying doghouse battles with the Red Baron are actually exciting, with Indiana Jones-level thrills.

The dialogue throughout is peak Peanuts adult-level introspection, with Charlie Brown at one point noting, "I just came down with a serious sense of inadequacy." There's also plenty of silliness, from Woodstock driving a Zamboni to Charlie Brown's closet, which holds nothing but identical yellow shirts with black zig-zags. Every morning he shuffles wildly through them in search of just the right one.

The film's low-key charm is maintained right up through the finale, which is all about Charlie Brown's effort to win the Little Red Haired Girl's heart - not by wining a battle or completing a quest, but by writing a 1000-word book report about Moby Dick. Being Charlie Brown, there are whale-sized complications, but this time, happiness might just be in his grasp.

PRODUCT INFO
The Peanuts Movie
Directed by Steve Martino
Blue Sky Studios
$14.99