So why exactly was this live action? Really for gimmicks sake, but I imagine it was a successful gimmick, and one that peaked many viewers' interests (including myself). So basically what we have is a live action version of a cartoon show that doesn't particularly lend itself to live action, with a plot that zips along at about an hour, with no real time to build up anything that feels cinematic. Basically, this feels like a longer, live action episode of the show (though it would have to take place long after the series), that probably would have been better as a cartoon.
Timmy Turner (Drake Bell) is 23, still in the fifth grade, and still living with his parents so he can keep his fairy godparents Cosmo and Wanda. At a public event to destroy the town park, he sees Tootie (Daniella Monet) who has now become an activist, and he begins to fall in love with her. Cosmo and Wanda can't let this happen, because he will lose them, while meanwhile an oil tycoon Hugh Magnate (Steven Weber) and Timmy's crazy teacher Mr. Crocker (David Lewis) hatch a scheme to steal Timmy's godparents.
The performances are fine, if not a little corny. Drake Bell is really hamming it up with his overly enthusiastic acting job, but for a 23 year old man-child this seems quite tame compared to Pee-Wee Herman or Madtv's Stewart, so it could be way goofier. Daniella Monet plays Tootie and she gives an okay performance, about what you'd expect from Nickelodeon. Mark Gibbon plays Jorgen von Strangle quite well, and sounds a lot like him from the animated show. Daran Norris who plays Cosmo and Mr. Turner on the cartoon show, also played both of them here, and was actually quite funny and sort of deranged looking as Timmy's dad. Everybody is over the top, as this is a live action cartoon, and there's no drama at all, but whatever, it's not really a movie, just a goofy extended finale (?) to the series.
Nothing really stands out as being particularly good here. The plot plods along very quickly, assuming we all know the characters already, as most watching should. The ending is forced, and corny, and kind of bizarre in how fast Timmy and Tootie's relationship has progressed so quickly, but whatever, it had a nice message. Jason Alexander and Cheryl Hines show up for some reason as Cosmo and Wanda when they take the form of human beings to destroy Timmy's date, and there's no reason whatsoever for them, except for some celebrity cameos, and again, they're fine in the roles, but pointless.
Everything here moves along as quick as it possibly can, and while it's pretty entertaining is a very stupid way, it's also not really cinematic, and many of the plot points are retread from other episodes, but it's basically what one would expect when they heard about a made for TV live action Fairly Oddparents movie. Not a lot of laughs, many of the jokes fall flat because these cartoony gags don't really work too well in live action, especially live action filmed as safe and sit-commy as this, but at the same time it's not boring, the colors are bright, and the story moves along thanks to silly (not a bad thing) performances and a short running time. And if you love the ending to Back to the Future parts 1 or 3, and have longed for the Fairly Oddparents to homage it, then your wait is over. Expect goofy entertaining mediocrity, and you will probably enjoy this to some degree.
My rating: ** out of ****. 60 mins. Not rated, contains some "poopy" humor.
Timmy Turner (Drake Bell) is 23, still in the fifth grade, and still living with his parents so he can keep his fairy godparents Cosmo and Wanda. At a public event to destroy the town park, he sees Tootie (Daniella Monet) who has now become an activist, and he begins to fall in love with her. Cosmo and Wanda can't let this happen, because he will lose them, while meanwhile an oil tycoon Hugh Magnate (Steven Weber) and Timmy's crazy teacher Mr. Crocker (David Lewis) hatch a scheme to steal Timmy's godparents.
The performances are fine, if not a little corny. Drake Bell is really hamming it up with his overly enthusiastic acting job, but for a 23 year old man-child this seems quite tame compared to Pee-Wee Herman or Madtv's Stewart, so it could be way goofier. Daniella Monet plays Tootie and she gives an okay performance, about what you'd expect from Nickelodeon. Mark Gibbon plays Jorgen von Strangle quite well, and sounds a lot like him from the animated show. Daran Norris who plays Cosmo and Mr. Turner on the cartoon show, also played both of them here, and was actually quite funny and sort of deranged looking as Timmy's dad. Everybody is over the top, as this is a live action cartoon, and there's no drama at all, but whatever, it's not really a movie, just a goofy extended finale (?) to the series.
Nothing really stands out as being particularly good here. The plot plods along very quickly, assuming we all know the characters already, as most watching should. The ending is forced, and corny, and kind of bizarre in how fast Timmy and Tootie's relationship has progressed so quickly, but whatever, it had a nice message. Jason Alexander and Cheryl Hines show up for some reason as Cosmo and Wanda when they take the form of human beings to destroy Timmy's date, and there's no reason whatsoever for them, except for some celebrity cameos, and again, they're fine in the roles, but pointless.
Everything here moves along as quick as it possibly can, and while it's pretty entertaining is a very stupid way, it's also not really cinematic, and many of the plot points are retread from other episodes, but it's basically what one would expect when they heard about a made for TV live action Fairly Oddparents movie. Not a lot of laughs, many of the jokes fall flat because these cartoony gags don't really work too well in live action, especially live action filmed as safe and sit-commy as this, but at the same time it's not boring, the colors are bright, and the story moves along thanks to silly (not a bad thing) performances and a short running time. And if you love the ending to Back to the Future parts 1 or 3, and have longed for the Fairly Oddparents to homage it, then your wait is over. Expect goofy entertaining mediocrity, and you will probably enjoy this to some degree.
My rating: ** out of ****. 60 mins. Not rated, contains some "poopy" humor.