Even Bill Murray can't save lackluster 'Garfield'

Friday, June 11, 2004

By SEAN AXMAKER
SPECIAL TO THE POST-INTELLIGENCER

Garfield, the orange shag, bean-bag of self-absorbed, lasagna-scarfing housecat from the comics, has been dutifully re-created through digital animation and provided the purr-fect internal voice for his big screen debut: Bill Murray. That, sadly, is all that will be familiar to fans of the funny papers.

MOVIE REVIEW

GARFIELD: THE MOVIE

DIRECTOR: Pete Hewitt

CAST: Breckin Meyer, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Stephen Tobolowsky and the voice

of Bill Murray

RUNNING TIME: 80 minutes

RATING: PG for brief mild language

WHERE: Bella Bottega 11, Cinema 17, Crossroads 8, East Valley 13, Everett 9, Factoria, Galaxy Tacoma 6, Galleria 11, Gateway 8, Grand Cinemas, Issaquah 9, Marysville Cinema 14, Metro, Monroe 12, Mountlake 9, Pacific Place, Parkway Plaza 12, South Hill Mall, Valley Drive-in, Woodinville 12

GRADE: D

The characters created by Jim Davis have been replaced with live-action substitutes far more two-dimensional than their pen-and-ink inspirations. Garfield's owner, Jon (Breckin Meyer), is less the hopeless loser of the comic strip than an endearing schlub with a shy streak when it comes to women, notably veterinarian Liz (Jennifer Love Hewitt, apparently cast for her ability to make a shabby wardrobe budget look more impressive).

The hand-me-down story line borrows from "101 Dalmatians," "Toy Story 2" and the animal pound interlude of "Lady and the Tramp." Jon adopts eternally ecstatic puppy Odie (a darling of a real pooch who never translates his charm into personality) and the pathologically jealous pussy cat sends the dizzy dancing dog out of the house and into the world.

When he's kidnapped by an odious animal trainer (Stephen Tobolowsky) with an electroshock collar, Garfield turns reluctant hero to make amends. Not exactly the narcissistic feline we've come to know.

The casting of Murray is so ideal that the screenwriters apparently thought they didn't have to provide him with anything clever to say. While his voice drips with lazy insincerity, there's little of the character's trademark sarcasm in his remarks.

The entire project has been dumbed down for a young audience waiting for the next torpid bit of anthropomorphic slapstick.

Children seem charmed by the tale, but Pete (formerly Peter) Hewitt directs with such indifference that there's never an engaging moment, let alone a creative one.

This isn't a movie, it's a marketing ploy. Would you like a plush Garfield toy with that popcorn?

Sean Axmaker is a movie reviewer and free-lance film writer based in Seattle. He can be reached via e-mail at seanax@hotmail.com.