Despicable Me 3

(Illumination Entertainment / Universal Studios Home Entertainment)

 

Gru’s been fired! And he has a Despicable twin brother named Dru! This is going to get interesting.

 

Rated PG, for action and rude humor

Genre: Animation / Comedy

Viewer Appeal: All Ages

 

When Despicable Me 1 first released I thought, “It’s cute. Steve Carrell’s pretty funny.”

 

Then there was Minion oversaturation and lame wordplay and by the time Despicable Me 2 came out I was tired of anything one-eyed and yellow. And yet, after watching that second film I thought, “Well, that was kind of fun. And Kristin Wiig’s pretty funny.”

 

And a few years went by, Minions showed up on my doorstep at Halloween and appeared in parades and TV shows, and I thought, “Well, at least they finished out the series with Kristin Wiig, and surely they won’t force a third movie on me after that fine ending.”

 

And then Despicable Me 3 dropped. Sigh. And I fought peer pressure and tried not to see it, but we all know how that ended up, don’t we? Besides, Gru apparently had a twin brother named Dru, and despite the obvious Soap Opera aspect of that, the thought of Steve Carrell voicing Gru and his brother Dru made me curious…

 

So yeah, Steve Carrell’s still pretty funny. And Kristin Wiig never fails. And hey, this movie even has the legendary Mary Poppins…I mean Julie Andrews…voicing Gru’s mom, so against my best intentions I have to admit: Yeah, I liked this one too.

 

Here’s the official plot summary of this third film:

 

“After he is fired from the Anti-Villain League for failing to take down Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker, “South Park,” Team America: World Police), the latest evil mastermind to threaten humanity, Gru finds himself in the midst of a major identity crisis. But when a mysterious stranger shows up to inform Gru that he has a long-lost twin brother — a brother who desperately wishes to follow in his twin’s despicable footsteps — the former super-villain rediscovers just how good it feels to be bad.”

 

And here’s what that official summary doesn’t reveal:

 

Gru and Lucy (“Grucy”) are happily married, happy parents, and a happy family, but the re-emergence of villain Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker) and the sudden appearance of Dru (who has managed to grow a mane of long blond hair) change things up for the happy couple. Steve Carrell’s pulls off the double-duty voice work, and we already talked about Kristin Wiig.

 

Despicable Me 3 also features an almost non-stop soundtrack of fun pop hits, too many sight-gags to mention (although, really, the sight of Gru in a big, pink, gumball diaper is something that’s going to be hard to un-see), and plenty of sly humor and face-front chuckles for young and old alike. What you’ll like best about this third edition though is this:

 

Hearing your kids laugh next to you while you watch this movie together. That almost makes up for the overexposure of the ubiquitous Minions. But I digress.

 

Sure, I’ve come to despise Minions. And yes, there are elements of this film that are obviously forced into the story. But still…Gru, Dru, Lucy, and the rest? Yeah, still worth it, even after all these years.

 

(And did I mention the whole Mary Poppins…I mean Julie Andrews…thing? Despicably awesome.)

 

Special Features on the Blu-ray edition of Despicable Me 3 include:

 

• All-New Mini Movie — The Secret Life of Kyle

• Minion Moments — Watch the Minions cause more hilarious mayhem with Gru

• Deleted Scene — With intro by Dana Gaier, the voice of Edith

• Character Profiles — The inside scoop on the most popular characters, from the actors who play them

• The Making of Despicable Me 3 — A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie

• Developing Dru — Behind the scenes character development of Dru

• The AVL Files — Through the lens of the Anti-Villain League’s hi-tech database, this ultra secret, interactive surveillance briefing showcases all of the agency’s amazing creations and top agents

• Freedonia Visitors Guide — Welcome to Freedonia! See all that the town has to offer with this interactive map. From its world class cheese, to its beautiful coastline, Freedonia has it all!

• Despicable Me TV — Tune in for some fabulous fun with these Despicable Me 3 infomercials. Includes “Balthazar Bratt Action Figure,” “Bad Boy Bod by Balthazar Bratt” and “Agnes’ Super Cute, Incredibly Amazing Toy Sale.”

• “Doowit” Sing-Along — Sing along with Pharrell Williams as the Minions plot their escape from prison

• “Yellow Light” Music Video — Official music video by Pharrell Williams

• Minion Mugshots — The Minions add to the long list of celebrity mugshots in their very own “rogues gallery.”

• Wanted Posters — Have you seen these Minions wanted for various crimes?

 

Let's Talk About It

Use these questions to spark discussion among family members who are interested in this movie:

 

• What do you like best about Despicable Me 3? Why?

• Gru has a reputation as a bad guy, but he’s really good at heart. Why is sometimes hard for him to be a good guy? When do you feel like it’s hard to be good—and what do you do about it?

• What do you think is the main message of Despicable Me 3? Does that make a difference to you? Explain.

 

--AS

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