Garfield (2004)

Director:

Peter Hewitt

Writers (WGA):

Jim Davis (comic strip "Garfield")
Joel Cohen (written by) ...

Release Date:

11 June 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Tagline:

It ain't the Cat in the Hat.

Plot:

Jon Arbuckle buys a second pet, a dog named Odie. However, Odie is then abducted and it is up to Jon's cat, Garfield, to find and rescue the canine.

Plot Keywords:

Garfield | Dog | Cat | Veterinarian | TV Host

Cast

Breckin Meyer	...	Jon
Jennifer Love Hewitt	...	Liz
Stephen Tobolowsky	...	Happy Chapman
Bill Murray	...	Garfield (voice)
Evan Arnold	...	Wendell
Mark Christopher Lawrence	...	Christopher Mello
Vanessa Christelle	...	Miss Ace Hardware
Daamen J. Krall	...	Announcer (as Daamen Krall)
Rufus Gifford	...	Dog Owner #1
Randee Reicher	...	Dog Owner #2
Ryan McKasson	...	Dog Owner #3
Susan Moore	...	Dog Owner #4
Eve Brent	...	Mrs. Baker
Bill Hoag	...	Roy the Lodge Member
Michael Monks	...	Deputy Hopkins

Also Known As:

Garfield: The Movie (USA) (promotional title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for brief mild language.

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS | Dolby Digital (Dolby 5.1)

Certification:

Denmark:A | Iceland:L | France:U | USA:PG (certificate #40176) | Malaysia:U | Portugal:M/4 | South Korea:All | Finland:K-7 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Canada:G | Chile:TE | Ireland:G | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:G | Norway:A | Peru:PT | Philippines:G | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:0 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:U | Germany:o.Al. | Brazil:Livre

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The animal trainer wore blue gloves and pushed the real dog off the chair. Then the blue hands were digitally erased. The CG Garfield was animated and matchmoved with the real dog. Then Garfield was composted into the live-action plate, pushing the dog off the chair.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Odie walks up to Mrs. Baker's door, he walks up six steps. Later in the movie, when Jon and Liz leave the same place, they only walk down one step.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Garfield: I hate Mondays.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Strictly Background (2007)

Soundtrack:

Baked Beans

No movie-material

All the years I've been a loyal reader of the Garfield comics, I never had the impression it's merely meant for kids. On the contrary, most of the dry humor and charismatic Garfield poses are difficult to 'get' for young children. And yet, the film completely aims for a youthful audience. I have no problem with a movie being pro-children, but this is exaggerated and hardly accessible for adult viewers. The movie totally lacks all the elements that make the comics so entertaining. Garfield's clever and sarcastic remarks, Jon's clumsy womanizing techniques… All this has been replaced with an unhealthy dose of feel-good messages and lame jokes. The computer engineered Garfield doesn't appeal and the other, real pets are badly chosen. The plot is standard-sentiment, with Garfield saving his new housemate puppy from a sneaky, fame-chasing TV host. Breckin Meyer (as Jon Arbuckle) and Jennifer Love Hewitt (as the yummy vet Liz) walk around without anything to do and Bill Murray voices Garfield like it's some sort of dire job he wants to get rid of asap. The first (long-awaited?) cinema adventure of everybody's favorite cat appears to be a quickly produced and unprofessional flick soon to be forgotten. Too bad, since you're left behind with the feeling they could have done something better with this.