Movie Review: Hop

Hop 

Starring and voice cast: James Marsden, Russell Brand, Kaley Cuoco, Hank Azaria, Gary Cole, Elizabeth Perkins, Hugh Laurie, Tiffany Espensen , David Hasselhoff, Chelsea Handler, Dustin Ybarra, Carlease Burke, Veronica Alicino, Django Marsh, Jimmy Carter, Billy Bowers, Benjamin Moore Jr., Eric McKinnie, Joey Williams, Tracy Pierce, Will Cleveland Smith, Coleton Ray, Greg Lewis, Mark Riccardi, Cici Lau, Jayden Lund, Christian Long, Hugh M. Hefner, Nick Drago, David Goldsmith, Rick Pasqualone 

Director: Tim Hill
Universal Pictures, Relativity Media, Illumination Entertainment, USA, 2011. 

Fred O'Hare (James Marsden) tells a story about how he became the Easter Bunny. In Easter Island there is a Easter candy factory operated by bunnies and chicks. Young son of Easter Bunny (Hugh Laurie), E.B. gets to visit the factory with his dad. Easter Bunny then goes to deliver the candies to kids Santa Claus style. 

Easter candy factory

E.B.

Fred O'Hare

20 years later in California O'Hare family children Sam (Kaley Cuoco) and Alex (Tiffany Espensen) make their parents proud because they may have brilliant careers ahead. Fred O'Hare (James Marsden) on the other hand procrastinates and does not know what to do with his live. Also E.B. does not really want to become Easter Bunny and he runs from home to Hollywood. As Fred's family decides that it is time for Fred to move from home, Sam arranges him a temporary accommodation in the mansion of her boss. E.B. is also looking for new home. Hugh Hefner will not let him enter the Playboy Mansion.

Easter Bunny Sr. and Carlos

No entrance to Playboy Mansion

Sam

Fred hits E.B. with his car and bunny decides to move into Fred's mansion. Fred does not like the idea of living together with a messy bunny who wants to play drums. Also E.B distracts Fred during his job interview. Meanwhile chick Carlos (Hank Azaria) conspires to get the control of the candy factory. Father bunny sends commando bunnies to get E.B. back home. 

Fred loves Easter

Blues band Blind Boys of Alabama and David Hasselhoff appear as themselves. Kaley Cuoco's brisk character Sam is quite similar to Penny in "The Big Bang Theory". James Marsden is okay as Fred, trying to make his family proud but ending up in awkward situations. Fred's father (Gary Cole) was quite discouraging daddy figure. 

The Hoff

Easter bunnies and chicks

The movie combines cartoonish animation with live action. Usually I find those kind of movies a bit awkward and this is no exception. The story is a traditional growing up story and buddy comedy about mismatched pair that has to work together to succeed. The setting of the movie the movie is like "Alvin and the Chipmunks" (also directed by Tim Hill!) or "Smurfs" with a "Santa Clause" twist and chick minions similar to "Despicable Me". Candy factory is visually delicious and the bunnies and chicks look cute. There are some funny moments but many of the jokes are not as funny as they could be.

Rating: Average