The Secret Life of Pets
SoberFilmChick




Directed by: Chris Renaud and Yarrow Cheney

Starring: Louis C. K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Steve Coogan, Ellie Kemper, Bobby Moynihan, Lake Bell, Dana Carvey, Hannibal Buress, Jenny Slate, and Albert Brooks


This year, animated fare has dominated the box office.  Zootopia, Finding Dory and Kung Fu Panda 3 are some of the highest grossing films of the year.  If we include The Jungle Book in the animation category, the success of this year’s 3D computer animation is even more impressive.  The Secret Life of Pets is the latest film to try to capitalize on the world’s love of family-friendly animation.

Max (Louis C.K.) is a terrier who lives in a spacious apartment building with his owner Katie (Ellie Kemper).  In the evenings, Max spends his time playing with Katie.  But during the day when Katie is at work, Max interacts with all of the other pets in the area.  Max chats with Gidget (Jenny Slate), a little dog with a crush on him, Chloe (Lake Bell), a lazy fat cat, and an assortment of other pets.  Max is doing well until Katie brings home a new dog, Duke (Eric Stonestreet).  Duke is a huge, shaggy stray from the pound. Max instantly dislikes Duke and the two bicker as Duke invades his space.  

During a daytime walk, Duke tricks Max into leaving the safety of the dog park.  They get into a battle with a group of alley cats and lose their collars.  The dogs are subsequently captured by animal control.  Duke and Max are on their way to the pound when a furry rabbit Snowball (Kevin Hart) breaks into the truck.  Snowball is there to free a member of his sewer squad who had also been captured by animal control.  Snowball is the leader of the “Flushed Pets,” a group of anti-human pets who want revenge against humans for being abandoned and mistreated.  Duke and Max convince Snowball that they also hate humans and recently killed one.  Snowball appreciates their vicious streak and agrees to free them and let them join the Flushed Pets.  Once Max and Duke are down in the sewers, they realize they are in way over their heads.  Meanwhile, Max’s friends, led by Gidget, are on a mission to find him.  Shenanigans ensue.

The Secret Life Of Pets
is an adequately entertaining film.  There are sufficient hijinks and action to keep young audiences engaged.  Moreover, the animators paint Manhattan in rich vibrant colors that will appeal to young and old audiences alike.  The Secret Life of Pets is filled with fun characters and an impressive list of voiceover actors.  Jenny Slate, in particular, gives a standout performance as the lovesick, but surprisingly tough Gidget.  In addition, Kevin Hart’s turn as a manic, violent bunny rabbit is memorable.  Hart’s over the top performance works, but Snowball cannot compare to Eddie Murphy’s Donkey in Shrek or Robin Williams’ Genie in Aladdin.  

The Secret Life Of Pets
, however, is derivative of one of the greatest animated films of all time, Toy Story. Just like in Toy Story, The Secret Life Of Pets gives audiences a peek at what happens when humans leave the room.  In this instance, it is not toys that come to life, but animals that throw parties, rock out to music, eat turkeys and hang out with their buddies.  Max is obviously Woody — the beloved longtime companion.  Duke is Buzz Lightyear, the new pet in the house who disrupts the status quo.  The various assortment of pets are akin to Andy’s other toys in Toy Story.  You could even say that the “Flushed Pets” in the new movie are akin to Lotso and his gang of mistreated toys in Toy Story 3.   Because of this familiar premise, The Secret Life of Pets is ultimately a predictable rip-off of a better crafted tale.  In a year where we were treated to the likes of Zootopia and Finding Dory, The Secret Life of Pets simply misses the mark and fails to reach the heights of the films that preceded it this year.  

The Secret Life of Pets
earns a 0.06% rating.  I would recommend re-watching Zootopia, Inside Out or The Lego Movie.  But if you need to relax in an air-conditioned theater with the family, your kids will probably enjoy it, even if the adult laughs are minimal.