NEW YORK (OSV News) – Viewers allergic to cats, whether physically or by temperament, should steer clear of the colorful but cutesy musical fantasy “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” (Universal). So, too, should cynics, curmudgeons and anyone given to even occasional grumpiness.
Relentless cheerfulness is the order of the day in director Ryan Crego’s big-screen version of the popular Netflix series, which began airing in 2021. That mood is set, with determination, by actress Laila Lockhart Kraner who reprises her TV role as kitty-obsessed Gabby.
Indeed, the upbeat mood is at nearly fever pitch from the start as Gabby sets out on a much-anticipated visit to her equally feline-fixated grandmother, Gigi (Gloria Estefan). The trip goes awry, however, when the toy structure of the title gets detached from Gigi’s van and veers out of control through the hilly streets of “Cat Francisco.”
Though the dollhouse comes to a stop in one piece, it soon draws the attention of Vera (Kristen Wiig), an eccentric kitty litter tycoon whose lavish home is chockablock with cat-themed objects of every description. After purloining the miniature habitation, she reduces its previously beloved inhabitants — pusses one and all, naturally — from playmates to mere collectibles.
The essential message of the adventure that follows as, amid a blend of animation and live-action, Gabby seeks to reclaim her cherished companions is that grown-ups should not follow Vera’s example by losing the imagination-driven playfulness that marked their childhood. There’s also a brief lesson about the importance of helping others.
While appreciating these morally acceptable themes, parents may nonetheless find the proceedings through which they’re conveyed cloyingly saccharine. Targeted little ones, on the other hand, will likely consider the whole production nothing short of catnip.
The film contains mild peril and some silly scatological humor. The OSV News classification is A-I — general patronage. The Motion Picture Association rating is G — general audiences. All ages admitted.
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