So much average

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

I don't think I've heard a title as stupid as "The Nut Job". This is probably one of the dumbest titles given not to an animated film, but any film in general. Seriously, who names their movie after a synonym for idiot? Well, apparently the people at Toon Box Studios think that the title is hilarious, and it's not. Neither is the film either. Not only that, but this movie is pretty mean spirited too, and not in a good way. I'll explain why this is.As winter is coming quick, the animals of Liberty Park led by Raccoon (Liam Neeson) are quickly trying to get food which they are getting very little of. One of the reasons is the squirrel Surly (Will Arnett) and his silent rat sidekick Buddy who have been stealing the parks food for their own pleasure. However, after an incident with a nut cart (because those exist in real life), the animals expel him from the park. They then discover a closed nut shop across from the park which is really a criminal hideout as its right across the street from a bank. After one of the squirrels from the park named Andie (Katherine Heigl) discovers Surly's little secret they negotiate a deal to split the nuts in the shop. The rest of the movie is basically a couple of animals in the park planning to steal the nuts, while the criminals in the nut shop plan to steal from the bank with both of their plans coincidentally matching up. I think you can figure out the rest of the film from there.I'm just going to get my biggest problem with this movie out of the way first. The characters in this movie, especially our main character Surly, are awful. Surly is so unlikeable that his attitude really makes you want to punch him. Even when his sidekick does something to save him, the poor rat is tortured by Surly as he is constantly choked, yelled at, and gets hurt for no reason whatsoever. The other characters however, are just clichéd. There's a egotistical dumb squirrel played by Brenden Fraser who really offers nothing to the film, Andie whose just a squirrel who hate Surly at first, but warms up to him later, and Raccoon who is just a villain who has a stupid sabotage plot up his sleeve. You get the idea. The story has some promise, but fails to deliver. I like the idea of squirrels trying to steal nuts from a shop to survive winter, but the fact is that this was based on the director's five minute student film. This is one reason the film doesn't work. Another thing I disliked was the very pointless bank subplot. I didn't care about these robbers at all. The one the thing I found tolerable is the animation. While some of the human animation looked pretty bad, the animation of the animals looked impressive enough. I also think the animators got some of the slapstick down pretty well. However, it's not a strong compliment."The Nut Job" is one of the most mean spirited animated movies I've seen. It's so awful that it could be pretty hard for some people to watch. Well, then again, this is a movie that was released in January, and we all know how terrible movies are when they are released this month. In case your kids really badly want to see this movie, bring an Epi-pen. You might need it by the end of the film.

A poorly animated, completely unfunny kids comedy about a selfish squirrel who learns nothing, willing to do anything (including lying, stealing and mistreating his friends) in order to bypass a tyrannical raccoon "villain" whose main crime is...storing food for the winter for all his furry friends? And of course there's an animated Psy dancing to Gangnam Style during the credits. Because Hollywood hates you and your children.

The fact that the word 'forgettable' appears in just about every review for this film says a lot about how unoriginal and lazy it is. I can't remember the last time I watched an animated film and couldn't wait for it to finish, but that's how I felt about 'The Nut Job'.The animation in this film is great, but it's not enough to distract away from the complete lack of a plot. Characters often make or break animated films and, writing this review a day after watching the film, I can't remember any of the characters or their names.'The Nut Job' is watchable but will probably be enjoyed much more by kids. The only thing I enjoyed about this film was the animation - the plot and characters were completely... forgettable.

The Nut Job (2014): Dir: Peter Lepeniotis / Voices: Will Arnett, Katherine Heigl, Brendan Fraser, Liam Neeson, Maya Rudolph: Animation about creative minds and merging ideas for the greater good. Surly the gray squirrel is banished from the park after his umpteenth mishap results in the destruction of all the food for the animals for the winter. Accompanied by his rat friend Buddy, he comes across a heist in progress where nuts are used to conceal bags of cash. Premise is simple but structure is detailed as Surely attempts to outwit the criminals and steal the nuts. The climax is ridiculous and somewhat predictable as anyone can see that Surely will become a hero, prove himself, and learn that working together has greater benefits. The animation is colourful and detailed with very little to caution families whom the film is aimed at. Characters are a mixed bag of interesting to downright cardboard. Will Arnett voices Surely who aims to work alone but realizes that when the stakes are against him that accepting help is never a shame. What does come across though is Surely's obvious skill that the other animals fade in comparison. Katherine Heigl voices red squirrel Andie who believes in Surely but the character is flat. Liam Neeson voicing the corrupt leader Raccoon is also bland. Brendan Fraser provides humour voicing Grayson, who conceals his cowardly nature under heroics. Maya Rudolph voices a dog named Precious who assists Surely despite her owners being the criminals. Outrageous animated comedy about using one's talent to help others regardless of how nutty the circumstances. Score: 7 ½ / 10