Film

Despicable Me

Name: Despicable Me
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Crime, Science Fiction, Family
Released: 2010
Cast: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews, Will Arnett

A cartoonishly evil supervillain's plan to steal the moon gets derailed by three tiny orphans he only adopted as a cover story. Gru's Eastern-Bloc scowl and Julie Andrews' withering mother-voice do a lot of the comic heavy lifting while the Minions do the rest. Bright, silly, unexpectedly tender — perfect family-movie-night fare that doesn't insult the adults in the room.

TMDb rating

7.3

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The Incredibles2004

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Kung Fu Panda2008

A lovable doofus who doesn't fit the mold he's been told he belongs in, wrapped in gorgeous martial-arts animation and genuine warmth. Jack Black is doing career-best voice work here.

But More earnest chosen-one plotting, less of the deadpan villain comedy that carries Despicable Me.

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Léon: The Professional1994

Both films run the same engine: a hardened loner who deals in menace becomes an unwilling protector, and the child changes him more than he changes her.

A solitary, morally compromised operator reluctantly takes in a young girl and finds himself changed by her in ways he never planned for — the same shape as Gru and Margo, stripped of every joke and played for real stakes.

But It's a violent, adult thriller with genuinely upsetting content — nothing here is for children.

Shrek2001

The template for lovable-grump-gets-a-family-he-didn't-ask-for, done with pop-culture irreverence that still holds up. Grumpy exterior, gooey interior — sound familiar?

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Monsters vs Aliens2009no page yet

A goofier, more chaotic cousin — giant monsters, alien invaders, and a lot of the same era's willingness to let animated comedy get genuinely weird and silly.

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Another overprotective monster-parent comedy, with Adam Sandler's Dracula fussing over his daughter the way Gru eventually fusses over Margo, Edith and Agnes. Broad, silly, kid-friendly fun.

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The Secret Life of Pets2016no page yet

From the same Illumination stable, so the humour rhythm and visual gag density will feel instantly familiar if the Minions were your favourite part.

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Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs2009no page yet

Manic, visually inventive, and packed with the kind of rapid-fire absurdist comedy that made the Minions such a hit — a good pick if the sillier stretches were your favourite bits.

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Paper Moon1973

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A small-time con man and a sharp-tongued orphan girl fake their way across Depression-era America, bickering their way into an unlikely family — funny, tender, and shot in gorgeous black and white.

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Same premise as Gru's — an unwilling adult forced into guardianship by circumstance — played as adult comedy-drama instead of family cartoon.

A confirmed Czech bachelor is stuck with a young boy through a marriage-of-convenience gone sideways, and has to become a father whether he likes it or not. Wry, gentle, and Oscar-winning.

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