Harmless fun, like a machine gun that shoots jelly. The plot is as innocuous as the most cookie-cutter sitcom - former bad guy Gru must go undercover to expose current bad guy, and must also deal with personal issues. (One of his daughters wants a mom, another falls in love.) The animation is brightly colored and serviceable and full of exaggerated features: noses, wattles, bellies, stork legs, you name it. And while the humor can't help but plunge into the potty, it does pull back on the one-liners, instead relying mostly on star Steve Carell's not inconsiderable charm. Oh, and there are minions everywhere: yellow, capsular, spouting gibberish, and acting like indestructible six-year-olds on a sugar high. With Kristen Wiig as the voice of Lucy, Gru's zany, gawky partner. (2013) — Matthew Lickona
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