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DESPICABLE ME Movie Reviews
Story: Animated tale about a supervillain whose plans to steal the moon are sidetracked when he's put in charge of three orphans. Cast: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Kristen Wiig, Danny R. McBride, Will Arnett and Julie Andrews Director: Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin, John Cohen Opened: July 9, 2010 On DVD: December 14, 2010 From: Universal Rating: PG Length: 1 hr. 35 min.
Out On DVD
DECEMBER 14, 2010
Despicable Me, Good Reviews
Updated: Fri, Mar 2 2012, 04:08pm
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Despicable Me played to good reviews. • Carrie Rickey wrote in the Philadelphia Inquirer, "Short, sweet-and-sour, and amusing rather than funny... can't help but be likable." • Rick Bentley wrote in the Miami Herald, "...directors Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud keep things moving with crisp animation, a quick tempo and a continuous barrage of jokes." • And MaryAnn Johanson wrote for Flick Filosopher, "...totally fresh and wildly original."  More Reviews Below...

Despicable Me
Positive Reviews
(49 Reviews,  reviews below)
 Compare This Movie... 
TotalBroad
National
Press
Local
News-
papers
Alter–
native/
Indie
High-
Brow
Press
Movie
Industry
NY/LA
Chicago
Toronto
Key
Cities
Total
B.O.
69.2% 71.6% 64.5% 71.8% 57.8% 61.2% 58.7% 68.5% $251.5M
Averages: 51.8% 54.1% 52.3% 46.9% 45.8% 48.7% 49.9% 54.7%
Reviews & Quotes (49)

BROAD NATIONAL PRESS (10 Reviews)
Alynda Wheat, People: VERY GOOD (cg)
"...eventually the story catches up to the wonder of the effects." (Read the full review...)
162 words, 07/08/10

Richard Corliss, Time: GOOD
"...low-maintenance, good-looking and mildly original, and won't plant lingering traumas in the psyches of the wee ones." (Read the full review...)
924 words, 07/09/10

Christy Lemire, Associated Press: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg)
"...has a pleasingly off-kilter look about it... Kids will dig it, adults will smile with amusement, and no one will be any different afterward..." (Read the full review...)
649 words, 07/08/10

Thelma Adams, Us Weekly: VERY GOOD (cg)
"The story is hilariously over-the-top, yet understandable from a child's perspective... has some hysterical moments, thanks to Russell Brand as Gru's henchman and Jason Segel as his bumbling rival." (Read the full review...)
106 words, 07/08/10

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: OUTSTANDING (cg)
"...an American story, from a Spanish animator's idea, fleshed out by a French animation house; no wonder a certain Euro je ne sais quoi influences the aesthetic of this charming tale of bad intentions and happy endings." (Read the full review...)
306 words, 07/02/10

Michael Phillips, A.O. Scott, At the Movies: MODERATE (cg)
Michael Phillips: "See it." A.O. Scott: "Skip it." (Watch the full review...)
227 seconds, 07/10/10

Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: VERY GOOD (cg)
"Carell's genius for loading a comic line with mirth and malice is on joyous display in this 3-D animated feature that brims over with charm and spirit." (Read the full review...)
177 words, 07/09/10

Claudia Puig, USA Today: VERY GOOD (cg)
"This fun-filled adventure avoids formula with a whimsical story and terrific voice casting." (Read the full review...)
505 words, 07/08/10

Roger Ebert, RogerEbert.com: VERY GOOD (cg)
"...funny, energetic, teeth-gnashingly venomous and animated with an eye to exploiting the 3-D process with such sure-fire techniques as a visit to an amusement park." (Read the full review...)
673 words, 07/08/10

James Berardinelli, Reel Views: VERY GOOD (cg)
"...the movie has it where it counts: in the heart and mind. This is a smartly written comedy with a soft emotional core." (Read the full review...)
1,050 words, 07/08/10
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (12 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: FAIR
"...cannot be faulted for lack of trying. If anything, it tries much too hard, stuffing great gobs of second-rate action, secondhand humor and warmed-over sentiment into every nook and cranny of its relentlessly busy 3-D frames." (Read the full review...)
887 words, 07/09/10

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg)
"Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud's nicely quirky, animated comedy has just enough edge to entertain every member of the family." (Read the full review...)
335 words, 07/09/10

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: WEAK
"...gives off the unmistakably fatal air of trying too hard.... plot elements with a lot less charm than the minions end up elbowing the little guys off the stage, and they're not a pleasure to experience." (Read the full review...)
713 words, 07/09/10

Kyle Smith, New York Post: VERY GOOD (cg)
"...a little ragged on story (which is so simple that many detours, to amusement parks and such, are required to get us up to the 90-minute mark), it's got a lot of imagination and a heart as warm as a fluffy kitty." (Read the full review...)
620 words, 07/09/10

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg)
"An agreeable jumble... Is the movie itself good? Half-good, I'd say -- the second, more openly sentimental half." (Read the full review...)
572 words, 07/09/10

Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg)
"The 3-D is unnecessary, as usual, but the movie has its pleasures. One is Steve Carell as the voice of Gru... has fun normalizing the life of a villain..." (Read the full review...)
497 words, 07/09/10

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: VERY GOOD (cg)
"...funny, energetic, teeth-gnashingly venomous and animated with an eye to exploiting the 3-D process with such sure-fire techniques as a visit to an amusement park." (Read the full review...)
673 words, 07/08/10

Robert Wilonsky, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD
"...fart guns, shrink rays, and squid shooters! ...a cavalcade of kiddie giggles, titters, and belly laughs with as much heft as helium. It's rather joyful and heartfelt.... pleasant and diverting, if ultimately forgettable..." (Read the full review...)
759 words, 07/07/10

Jason Anderson, Toronto Star: VERY GOOD (cg)
"Its core of sweetness and anarchic sense of humour makes it much more than a poor man's Pixar." (Read the full review...)
550 words, 07/09/10

Rick Groen, Toronto Globe & Mail: OUTSTANDING (cg)
"Gru is a crotchety touchstone for those times when parenthood is less a joy than a burden.... the kids in the audience are laughing at him and the adults are laughing with him - we have seen the villain and he is us." (Read the full review...)
844 words, 07/09/10

Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg)
"When 'Despicable Me' sticks to formula, it's decent enough. When it focuses on Gru and the girls, it's a weird, wonderful delight." (Read the full review...)
228 words, 07/08/10
KEY CITIES (16 Reviews)
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: VERY GOOD (cg)
"...an improbably heartwarming, not to mention visually delightful, diversion." (Read the full review...)
392 words, 07/09/10

Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg)
"Short, sweet-and-sour, and amusing rather than funny... can't help but be likable." (Read the full review...)
410 words, 07/09/10

Mick LaSalle, Houston Chronicle/San Francisco Chronicle: MODERATE (cg)
"An actual story, with situations that flow and build from other situations, kicks in after an hour, and all the effects and innovations the movie was saving up come in at the end, and it's undeniably pleasurable." (Read the full review...)
569 words, 07/09/10

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: VERY GOOD (cg)
"...a 3D cartoon comedy of whiplash-quick laughs, funny punch lines and a wickedly gimmicky appreciation for 3D." (Read the full review...)
547 words, 07/09/10

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg)
"...funny in a prefabricated way, heavy on razzle-dazzle and light on soul." (Read the full review...)
296 words, 07/09/10

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: VERY GOOD (cg)
"...simply plays to its strengths: a funny, inventive voice performance by Steve Carell; one gag after another, operating on the theory that sheer volume will wear us down; and a sweet, if predictable, transformation story." (Read the full review...)
568 words, 07/09/10

Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News: OUTSTANDING (cg)
"The whole enterprise feels like controlled chaos: As things grow more manic and illogical, the more assured 'Despicable Me' gets." (Read the full review...)
738 words, 07/09/10

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: VERY GOOD (cg)
"...an oddity but an entertaining one.... while there's not a lot of humor aimed at adults, what's there is rich... And Carell? Bless him, he gives an actual performance and thus mines the necessary sympathy for Gru." (Read the full review...)
612 words, 07/09/10

Stephen Whitty, Cleveland Plain-Dealer: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg)
"...fine for a Saturday matinee, particularly if you're feeling cooped up and don't feel like seeing 'Toy Story 3' again. But unfortunately 'Despicable Me' is just, predictably -- eh." (Read the full review...)
476 words, 07/09/10

Tom Keogh, Seattle Times: VERY GOOD (cg)
"...witty, absurdist, 3D computer-animated fairy tale brings with it some unintended, ironic cachet.... a sweet-and-sour mash of influences from 'Silas Marner,' Looney Tunes and almost anything by Roald Dahl..." (Read the full review...)
418 words, 07/09/10

Shawn Levy, Portland Oregonian: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg)
"...an utterly harmless thing that takes a slender plot, executes a series of tired jokes and sight gags, rushes toward a resolution of the maudlin emotions it tries to engender, and isn't too excessively mercenary..." (Read the full review...)
613 words, 07/09/10

Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: VERY GOOD (cg)
"Because this movie is genuinely funny without being crass or hyperactive, sincerity can sneak into the lair through the back door.... delightful." (Read the full review...)
339 words, 07/09/10

Steve Persall, St. Petersburg Times: VERY GOOD (cg)
"...more than a Pixar ripoff. Toss in the most vivid usage of 3-D technology since 'Avatar' and there's plenty to enjoy." (Read the full review...)
526 words, 07/08/10

Tom Long, Detroit News: VERY GOOD (cg)
"...eye-popping 3-D and a heart-warming story." (Read the full review...)
409 words, 07/09/10

Rick Bentley, Miami Herald: VERY GOOD (cg)
"...directors Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud keep things moving with crisp animation, a quick tempo and a continuous barrage of jokes. (They've also created a movie for which the 3-D is worth the extra cost.)" (Read the full review...)
368 words, 07/09/10
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (9 Reviews)
Robert Wilonsky, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD
"...fart guns, shrink rays, and squid shooters! ...a cavalcade of kiddie giggles, titters, and belly laughs with as much heft as helium. It's rather joyful and heartfelt.... pleasant and diverting, if ultimately forgettable..." (Read the full review...)
759 words, 07/07/10

Peter Keough, Boston Phoenix: VERY GOOD (cg)
"First-time directors Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin and the other filmmakers behind this slight but engaging kids' animated comedy have no ambitions to be original, but they insist on stealing only from the best." (Read the full review...)
587 words, 07/08/10

Tasha Robinson, AV Club: VERY GOOD (cg)
"...a joyously creative, refreshing piece of work, right up until it falls into a hackneyed hole." (Read the full review...)
383 words, 07/08/10

Peter Hall, Cinematical: VERY GOOD
"Kids who could not care less about how dynamic and predictable a film is will revel in it.... Maybe not their parents, who are hoping for an animated film that is as much for their children as it is for them..." (Read the full review...)
779 words, 07/09/10

Simon Abrams, Slant: VERY GOOD (cg)
"...a healthy reminder that no single animation studio has a monopoly on thoughtful and involving animated features.... a legitimate contender for the year's best and breeziest no-frills studio-produced summer flick." (Read the full review...)
841 words, 07/05/10

Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg)
"When 'Despicable Me' sticks to formula, it's decent enough. When it focuses on Gru and the girls, it's a weird, wonderful delight." (Read the full review...)
228 words, 07/08/10

Curt Holman, Atlanta Creative Loafing: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg)
"The comedy's most despicable quality is the heavy dose of treacle that floods the last half. Focus instead on the gizmo-driven feud between Gru and Vector and you'll enjoy 'Despicable Me's' slapstick worthy of Wile E. Coyote." (Read the full review...)
596 words, 07/09/10

MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher: OUTSTANDING (cg)
"...totally fresh and wildly original.... characters we've never met before, situations we've not previously encountered, and a story we don't already know the ending of... a spectacularly funny and visually inventive realm..." (Read the full review...)
950 words, 07/07/10
HIGHBROW PRESS (5 Reviews)
Bob Mondello, NPR All Things Considered: GOOD
"...agreeably offbeat... It's all thoroughly adorable... with a retro afterglow." (Listen to the full review...)
219 seconds, 07/09/10

Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: GOOD
"...rewards patience.... pretty thin at the top of the show, but fills out as it goes along. And the animation is a grabber all the way through.... It looks so stylish that thinking about its plot is strictly optional." (Read the full review...)
248 words, 07/09/10

A.O. Scott, New York Times: FAIR
"...cannot be faulted for lack of trying. If anything, it tries much too hard, stuffing great gobs of second-rate action, secondhand humor and warmed-over sentiment into every nook and cranny of its relentlessly busy 3-D frames." (Read the full review...)
887 words, 07/09/10

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: WEAK
"...gives off the unmistakably fatal air of trying too hard.... plot elements with a lot less charm than the minions end up elbowing the little guys off the stage, and they're not a pleasure to experience." (Read the full review...)
713 words, 07/09/10

Andrew O'Hehir, Salon: VERY GOOD
"An enjoyable blend of sweetness and silliness, with loads of giggles and just enough dark-edged humor to keep the adult companions interested..." (Read the full review...)
791 words, 07/09/10
MOVIE INDUSTRY (6 Reviews)
Peter Debruge, Daily Variety: VERY GOOD
"...smartly turns the whole operation over to megalomaniacal rogue Gru.... genuinely clever, delivering much of its humor visually.... a healthy dose of irreverence and a very weird accent... isn't afraid to be silly..." (Read the full review...)
960 words, 06/10/10

Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter: VERY GOOD
"...funny, clever and warmly animated with memorable characters.... takes a playful poke at supervillains.... individual sequences and fresh characters dreamed up by writers Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio are quite wonderful." (Read the full review...)
831 words, 06/09/10

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: WEAK
"...gives off the unmistakably fatal air of trying too hard.... plot elements with a lot less charm than the minions end up elbowing the little guys off the stage, and they're not a pleasure to experience." (Read the full review...)
713 words, 07/09/10

Patrick Z. McGavin, Cinema 24/7: VERY GOOD (cg)
"The characterizations are soulful, funny and organically woven into the larger narrative fabric. The byplay with the kids is funny and endearing without ever turning too sentimental." (Read the full review...)
862 words, 06/30/10

A.O. Scott, New York Times: FAIR
"...cannot be faulted for lack of trying. If anything, it tries much too hard, stuffing great gobs of second-rate action, secondhand humor and warmed-over sentiment into every nook and cranny of its relentlessly busy 3-D frames." (Read the full review...)
887 words, 07/09/10

Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: GOOD
"...rewards patience.... pretty thin at the top of the show, but fills out as it goes along. And the animation is a grabber all the way through.... It looks so stylish that thinking about its plot is strictly optional." (Read the full review...)
248 words, 07/09/10
(cg) = based on the critic's grade

Review Mixture
12.8 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews
(Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)

Despicable Me's reviews are separated by an average 12.8 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.

Despicable Me
(49 reviews)
Roll over dots for each review
Broad National   Alternative/Indie   Highbrow Press   Key Cities
NY, LA, Chicago, & Toronto Movie Industry  
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Moderate
Weak
Poor
Reviews
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Moderate
Weak
Poor
Reviews
Big
Publications
>Bigger
Publications
>Biggest
Publications
Coverage, Volume & Length

Coverage: Despicable Me's reviews cover 93.3% of potential readers (average is 68.2%). Volume: The film's reviews total 26,900 words in volume (average is 19,979 words). Length: The film's reviews average 549 words in length (the norm is 512 words).

Despicable Me
Coverage, Volume & Length
(49 Reviews,  reviews below)
TotalBroad
National
Press
Local
News-
papers
Alter–
native/
Indie
High-
Brow
Press
Movie
Industry
NY/LA
Chicago
Toronto
Key
Cities
Total
B.O.
Coverage:
Volume:
Length:
93.3%
26,900
549
100.0%
4,779
478
98.4%
13,513
541
86.0%
5,370
597
75.9%
2,858
572
100.0%
4,501
750
90.6%
6,925
577
100.0%
7,822
489
$251.5M
Averages: 68.2%
19,979
512
66.7%
3,178
451
80.2%
10,677
521
80.8%
3,310
430
58.7%
2,374
630
85.2%
3,407
685
83.7%
5,861
500
73.0%
2,885
539
Opening Day Reviews
Reviews Broke 26.6 Hours Before Release (Norm is 0.2 Release)

Despicable Me's reviews on average broke 26.6 hours before opening. Norm for this measure is 0.2 hours after. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Despicable Me's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.

Despicable Me
(49 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
M O R E    P O S I T I V E    R E V I E W S
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M O R E    N E G A T I V E    R E V I E W S
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Updated: Fri, Mar 2 2012, 04:08pm
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