Mr. Peabody & Sherman Review - An Instant Classic From DreamWorks Animation

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Category: Film

Published on Thursday, 20 March 2014 20:53

Written by Janet Walker

"Mr. Peabody & Sherman," from DreamWorks Animation and The Lion King Director Rob Minkoff, brings to the screen a charming, enchanted, tale of a modern blended family and emphasizes the fun of learning through eye popping 3-D trips back in time.

Starring the voice talent of Modern Family's Ty Burrell as Mr. Peabody, Max Charles as Sherman, Ariel Winter as Penny, Stephen Colbert as Mr. Peterson and Alison Janney as Miss Grunion, "Mr. Peabody & Sherman" was written by Chris Wright with music by Danny Elfman.

"Mr. Peabody & Sherman" opens with Mr. Peabody, a super intellect, with his adoptive son Sherman, enjoying the aristocratic pleasures of French society, sharing cake with Mary Antoinette as the imprisoned and improvised commoners begin to revolt. The two, escaping the French revolution and the guillotine while the entire French army follows in heated pursuit, jump into the WABAC, a time machine created by Mr. Peabody.

A student of history, through Mr. Peabody's learning can be fun immersion technique Sherman is more than prepared for his first day of school until he meets the school bully, Penny.

Voiced by Ariel Winter, Penny a mean girl personified, prepped for success from the womb by her unrealistically high achieving pretentious parents and for all Sherman's smarts he is not prepared for the vicious, attacks of this spoiled Upper West Side brat.

After suffering through bullying taunts, name calling and public humiliation, Sherman retaliates and of course is held responsible.  Penny plays the sympathy card and suddenly she becomes the victim. Mr. Peabody is threatened by Miss Grunion, voiced by Allison Janney, who is determined to have Sherman removed from Mr. Peabody's care and destroy the family unit these two have built.

"Mr. Peabody & Sherman," has both the entertaining, explosive 3-D visuals with crisp, popping neon colors, delightful trips back to significant time periods and the back story that reinforces the fact that every child deserves a home, even if the parent and family unit is not typical or traditional. 

The film also highlights flaws in family units that place a singular focus on developing stepford intellects void of the capacity for love and affection, which is shown as the super intelligent have a difficult time verbalizing simply the word "love."  Mr. Peabody, as a father, has Sherman's best interest at the forefront of his mind and heart, and yet sometimes a simple, "I love you" is all that is needed.

"Mr. Peabody & Sherman," proves history and learning has never been so much fun! Although a certain amount of creative license was used the film also provides enjoyable high points of great moment in history.                                                                                                           

My expectations, having watched every snippet possible prior to seeing the film, I felt had become almost unrealistic as I thoroughly enjoyed the mini-trailers and would watch transfixed.

With that "Mr. Peabody & Sherman" is an entertaining film with many analogies, a moral and proof that love, of course, conquers all and even as the path to true love and even the expression of it never doth run smooth, "Mr. Peabody and Sherman" prove that when love is threatened it is the strongest.

"Mr. Peabody & Sherman," destined to be an immediate classic, from DreamWorks Animation is a fun filled trip back through time.

"Mr. Peabody & Sherman" is in theaters everywhere. Check your local listings.