Bee Movie
Jerry Seinfeld is a father now, and he clearly made “Bee Movie” for kids, not for fans of his deceptively smart standup or his brilliant sitcom. But the Seinfeldian worldview has been absent too long from pop culture, and those who miss his uproarious musings on everyday absurdities will be placated by his silly, uneven foray into animated moviemaking. Sure, he’s providing the voice of a disgruntled worker bee, but the character is all Seinfeld. “Why do women wear rings on their toes?” he asks. “It’s like wearing a hat on your knee!” Throwaways like this provide “Bee Movie’s” deepest pleasures, at least for adults – kids will just appreciate the bright colors and simple themes. Seinfeld, who co-wrote the screenplay, has made it clear that he was the picture’s primary creative force. Let’s just say Brad Bird, John Lasseter and the rest of Pixar’s animation wizards have no cause for alarm. By the standards of richly imagined works of computer-generated art like “Monsters Inc.” and “Ratatouille,” Seinfeld’s episodic tale is bush-league stuff. Even “Antz,” a similar Dreamworks production also built around a legendary comedian – Woody Allen – looks superior by comparison. “Bee Movie” veers between histrionic and dangerously flat: Too often Seinfeld is satisfied just to let two characters yak away like blander versions of Jerry and George in the coffee shop. But it certainly has its moments – Seinfeld has delicious fun with the idea of Ray Liotta as a honey magnate. For a first-time moviemaker, he has nothing to be ashamed of.
LISTEN: Bee Movie