‘Gnomeo and Juliet’: Fun flick puts Bard in the yard National Parents Center

‘Gnomeo and Juliet’: Fun flick puts Bard in the yard

February 8, 2011 – 3:05 am

“Gnomeo and Juliet” (voices of James McAvoy and Emily Blunt) meet a new friend in the garden.

“The story you are about to see has been told before — a lot,” the audience is warned at the beginning of “Gnomeo and Juliet.” “We are going to tell it again. But different.”

Indeed. Though Shakespeare’s doomed lovers have been sliced, diced and pureed through a multitude of stage-screen-song versions, I can’t recall a production starring garden gnomes, not even from “Shakespeare in the Park.”

It’s about time.

This animated charmer from director and co-writer Kelly Asbury (“Shrek 2″) has tongue firmly planted in cheek, a trove of Elton John songs, an excellent voice cast and nifty animation that manages to bring kitschy plaster lawn figures to toe-tapping life.

Gnomeo (voice of James McAvoy) lives in the back yard of the Montagues, where the preferred color is blue. Juliet (Emily Blunt) and her red brethren live next door at the Capulets’. Blues and reds do not mix. In fact, they are sworn enemies in an ongoing battle for garden supremacy. (“Gnomeo and Juliet” is set in England, where gardening prowess is next to godliness.)

Away from their bickering families, the two youngsters meet and fall in love. Juliet is a capable gnome who can race lawn mowers and execute ninjalike missions to obtain rare flowers. She has no interest in posing frozen and ladylike on a pedestal as her father has insisted (oh, the symbolism!).

Gnomeo is fearless, protects the little guy and is smitten by Juliet’s double blast of beauty and post-feminist strengths. They are joined by a romantic pink flamingo (Jim Cummings), stuffy parents (Michael Caine and Maggie Smith), Juliet’s bullying cousin Tybalt (Jason Statham) and his fawn friend named Fawn (Ozzy Osbourne).

Two things help elevate “Gnomeo and Juliet” above other cutesy-kiddy movies. One is the clever script, packed with lots of Shakespearean references and even a cameo by the Bard himself (Patrick Stewart). The other is the spot-on line readings of the cast. Blunt and McAvoy, in particular, are wonderful. They don’t just aim to land the requisite one-liners. Their little asides and pauses enrich the characters, enliven the comedy and help keep parents interested, too.

Speaking of parents. If you’re wondering whether you should shell out the extra bucks to see the film in 3-D (it’s being released in 2-D as well), I think you can save your money on this one. I saw the 3-D version, but there weren’t enough striking visuals or immersive moments to justify the extra cost.

“Gnomeo and Juliet” is just a fun little entertaining movie. In any dimension.

National Parents Center