The Smurfs

Directed by Raja Gosnell

2011

Viewed July 2011

The Smurfs are very blue. And a little creepy when the camera pans in really close and their little faces fill the entire screen. They're also in trouble and need the help of Patrick and Grace Winslow. The Smurfs and their enemy Gargamel (Hank Azaria)  are sucked into a portal that sends them to New York City. They end up in the home of Patrick and Grace (Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays). Patrick is very skeptical and annoyed, but his wife thinks they're adorable and wants to help them. Patrick gets a promotion at work and has to impress his psycho boss, and of course the Smurfs get in the way. The Smurfs is pretty generic, but I still enjoyed it. I went to it with a 9 year old who has a short attention span and it kept his attention really well. I also appreciated that it was not full of butt and fart jokes. C+