jytreberg

6/10

While it's not entirely necessary to make a feature film about everyone's favorite feuding cat and mouse, _Tom & Jerry_ brings just enough substance to the big screen to make it worth the ride. It's a little surprising that it took this long for us to get a feature length version of the classic Hanna Barbara Tom & Jerry cartoons. On the other hand, they work so well in short sequences, it is difficult to sustain their level of antics over a 90-minute run time. That is the main downfall of this film, it just can't sustain the typical _Tom & Jerry_ energy throughout the course of the film. That said, I'm not sure it should even try to do that, because then it just becomes a string of gags with little to no plot. Not that there is much plot here to begin with. The film keeps things simple with Kayla Forrester (Chloë Grace Moretz) faking her way into a job at a prestigious New York hotel on the eve of the wedding of the century between Preeta (Pallavi Sharda) and Ben (Colin Jost). She is assigned to work under the event manager Terence (Michael Peña) who doesn't quite trust her from the beginning. When Jerry shows up in the hotel, Kayla convinces Terence and the hotel manager to "hire" Tom to help find the mouse and get rid of him. _Tom & Jerry_ regular Spike also appears (as Ben's pet dog) along with Preeta's pet cat Toodles Galore just to add to the chaos. The wedding story line serves to propel the action forward a bit and sets up some of the more hilarious physical comedy of the film. All the animals in the film are animated, while the human characters and settings remain live action. This mix feels right and most of the actors do a passable job of acting against the animated characters, with the best one being Moretz. Kayla even gets a side romance with the hotel bartender while at the same time finding her groove as Preeta's confidante leading up to the wedding. In the end, this is a fun film, if not terribly engaging cinema. If you have kids and are looking for something new to watch with them, chances are they will love _Tom & Jerry_. Just don't go in expecting anything more than a longer version of their short cartoons. 6 out of 10​​​​

GenerationofSwine

0/10

Well, I don't want to say it's HORRIBLE... but that's about all. For a Tom and Jerry cartoon, there is very little actual Tom and Jerry and more of the focus is on the live action actors than the animated characters. And that, honestly, is my biggest complaint. All the rest of it is exactly what one would expect. Especially since Tom and Jerry doesn't lend itself to an actual feature film, at least in length. So the plot is as cliche as you would expect, the only down side is that you expect that cliched plot to focus on the titular characters.

CinemaSerf

0/10

Oh, for heaven's sake!! Why? What for? Who on earth ever thought this was a good idea? Those of us who regularly watched the chaotic antics of "Jerry", his arch-nemesis "Tom" and his own persecutor "Spike" know well that these are at their best when delivered as quickly paced, entertaining, five minute bursts of slapstick comedy. This, on the other hand, is a turgid and lacklustre vehicle for Chloë Grace Moretz ("Kayla") to demonstrate that she has a lovely smile but very little else as this nonsense sees her impersonating someone to get a job at an hotel. Here, a celebrity wedding with an Indian theme is set to take place and she is charged with making the wedding of "Ben" (Colin Jost) and "Preeta" (Pallavi Sharda) (or ought that to be Chopra-Jonas?) - complete with animated elephants - go smoothly. "Tom" and "Jerry" have to stop their constant bickering to put on a united front to help her out after predictable carnage ensues. When this is left to the two cartoon characters, it can be passable - otherwise it is a travesty of animated history that ought to be consigned to the deepest vault in the deepest trench of the Pacific Ocean. Shocking!

Louisa Moore - Screen Zealots

0/10

One of the best things I can say about the “Tom and Jerry” feature movie, now streaming on HBO Max, is that it isn’t wholly terrible. The animation is bright, the human cast delivers enjoyably goofy performances, and the film stays true to the original cartoon’s roots. It isn’t super funny nor creative, but the fun story about a celebrity wedding gone awry and a stuffy New York City hotel that employs a cat to rid them of a mouse problem lays the groundwork for a bit of amusing mayhem. Blending classic animation with live action, the effects are better than expected. The actors (including Chloë Grace Moretz, Michael Peña, Pallavi Sharda, and Colin Jost) do a great job interacting with their cat and mouse counterparts, and the cartoonish elements are reminiscent of the classic Tom and Jerry of the past. The story rekindles the rivalry between the two, but is updated for modern audiences. The physical comedy and sight gags are good for most of the giggles, but that’s where the humor stops. There’s also a lot of unnecessary potty humor and a few questionable plot points (the movie does little to rise above certain stereotypes) that may feel cringe-worthy to some adults. “Tom and Jerry” isn’t noteworthy at all, but it’s not awful, either. There’s enough here to entertain most kids for a couple of hours.

SWITCH.

0/10

The spirit of the old cartoons is nowhere to be seen here, and that's the biggest disappointment. There is certainly enough here to entertain families - albeit probably not the parents - and I can envision this film playing on repeat for certain kids. Alas, for anyone looking to recapture the magic of the cartoons and revisiting some old favourites, it's best to look elsewhere. - Joel Kalkopf Read Joel's full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-tom-and-jerry-a-spiritless-reimagining-of-a-classic-cartoon