Tom and Jerry is a 2021 live-action comedy directed by Tim Story (Think Like a Man, Ride Along), that follows Kayla, played by Chloë Grace Moretz, a young woman struggling to find her place in The Big Apple. After stumbling into a temporary position at a prestigious hotel set to host the wedding of the century, she finally has an opportunity to make a name for herself. After discovering a “mouse problem” in the form of the light-fingered and troublemaking Jerry that threatens to ruin the wedding and in turn the hotels reputation, Kayla sees no other choice but to enlist Tom as an employee to do what he does best, chase Jerry which never fails to yield hilarious results.
Other recognizable cast members include Michael Peña, Rob Delaney, Ken Jeong, and Colin Jost.
Quick history lesson, the legend of Tom and Jerry originated in 1940 as a series of short films created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, known now as Hanna-Barbera. The duo accounted for 161 theatrical short films by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and continue to be a cartoon staple 80+ years later.
The Good
I loaded up the HBO Max app and selected Tom and Jerry from the main screen with what I would say was relatively tempered expectations. The trailer looked fun, but these live action films, especially the variety rated PG, more often than not live and die by goofy dialogue and corny jokes.
But, all things considered, I was impressed and enjoyed the movie. The premise was simple and straightforward, the live action element felt smooth and effortless, and the casting was perfect. I’m a huge Chloë Grace Moretz fan, dating back to her EPIC performance in the 2010 film Kick-Ass. She’s the lead here and handles her acting duties alongside the sometimes difficult live action element flawlessly. She again proves that she has great range as an actress. The supporting cast includes another trio that has kept Hollywood laughing for years now, Michael Peña, Rob Delaney, and The Hangover’s Ken Jeong.
Peña is easily the most talented actor of the 3, and plays a character similar to what he plays in Ant Man, just the watered down PG version. He is the hotel manager who reports to the head honcho himself, Rob Delaney. The two have great chemistry together, and as usual their mannerisms alone are enough to put a smile on your face. Plus Delaney’s mustache game is on point. If you haven’t seen his Prime Original Series Catastrophe, you should. Jeong plays a much smaller role as the hotel’s chef, but takes advantage of his screen time as usual.
As someone who worked in the hotel business, I could relate to the characters and felt like it was an authentic representation of what it’s actually like. Peña’s eccentric hotel manager character is certainly an exaggeration, but still pretty close to what I encountered as a low man on the totem pole. The hotel itself right in the heart of NYC opposite Central Park was great as I really like films that take place in the big city. The CGI heavy scenes are a blast as well, especially as we get to the final act, and I found myself impressed by how far we’ve come with the technological advancements.
As a PG rated film Tom and Jerry is definitely catered to the younger crowd, but still includes plenty of veiled jokes and references to keep the adults engaged. I won’t give anything away, but they do poke fun at the “PC Culture” that dominates our lives these days, and I very much enjoyed that. Director Tim Story, who has quite a diverse resume from 2002’s Barbershop to the Shaft remake from a few years ago, knows his way around comedy. I felt like he took advantage of the talented cast at his disposal, and delivered a quality final product that parents can watch with their kids without looking at their phone every few minutes.
Plus, John Legend as a singing pigeon, what’s not to love about that?!
The Bad
Okay, so let’s acknowledge the cartoon elephant in the room (you’ll get the reference once you see it), this is a movie for the little humans in our life. With the PG rating and an obvious geared towards kids feel throughout, it is goofy and is pretty light on overall storyline. But again, that is par for the course of you ask me. The sooner you accept these things the sooner you can appreciate the film for what it is, and if it keeps my toddler entertained for even 30 minutes, that’s a win in my book.
Although I loved the setting of a fancy hotel in New York, it took me a bit to buy into the the overall feel of the film, which was partially because they don’t really explain why cartoons exist amongst humans, they just do. And the animation is full on cartoon similar to the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit, which is fantastic by the way if you haven’t seen it, but it takes some getting used to. Plus true to the cartoon, Tom and Jerry do not speak and rely on hand gestures etc instead, but pretty much every other cartoon character does. I get that it’s part of what makes the cartoon work, but it’s a little harder to appreciate in a feature-film format compared to the recent Sonic the Hedgehog, as an example.
The Verdict
Make no mistake, Tom and Jerry is a kids movie first, which makes sense considering it’s based on a cartoon cat relentlessly chasing a cartoon mouse, but thanks to some creative writing, impressive animation, and a great cast, it offers more than enough to satisfy our offspring and keep mom and dad from nodding off. Whether you bring the kids to the movie theater for some popcorn and laughs (assuming you have theaters open near you), or enjoy it from your couch on HBO Max, this is a fun movie that will likely get better with repeat viewings. Recommended.
TED TAKES RATING - 6.5/10
Tom and Jerry is now in theaters and available to stream on HBO Max. Check out the trailer below.