Friday, December 18, 2015
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip Adoption Movie Review
The Chipmunks, Alvin, Simon, and Theodore are taking a break
from their music career while their long-time father figure, is preparing to
head to Miami in order to advance the careers of some of his other clients.
Right before leaving for the trip, Dave introduces the chipmunks to Samantha,
his new girlfriend – and to Miles, Samantha’s angsty, bullying teenage son.
Miles plants it into the Chipmunks’ minds that, if Dave marries Samantha, he will
send the Chipmunks away. The Chipmunks believe that Dave is planning to propose
to Samantha in Miami, and so they set off
on a wacky adventure in order to prevent the engagement.
***SPOILER ALERT – This is such an adoption-relevant film,
with some very touching strong points, and some very significant concerns as
well. Because the plot is so tied to the adoption issues in the film, this
review is full of spoilers.***
The Adoption
Connection
** SPOILER ALERT – lots of spoilers in this section **
Miles is so angsty because he has unresolved grief from when
his father abandoned him as a young boy. Miles initially explains his father’s
absence by saying that his father is dead – in truth though, his father walked
out. Miles tries to ignore his pain, but still grieves the loss, and expresses
his belief that fathers always leave you. Branching out from his own grief,
Miles tells the Chipmunks that Dave will leave them if he gets married. Miles
tells them that they’re not a real family – for although they’ve lived together
for years, the Chipmunks are – well – chipmunks, and Dave is a human. Miles
tells them, “You’re not even his real kids, you’re just chipmunks he calls his
kids.” The Chipmunks eventually seem to believe this. This film has a “you can’t
be family since you don’t look alike” theme that was also present in last year’s
Mr. Peabody and Sherman – and although this belief is touted by villains and
ultimately refuted, it can be hard for some young viewers to see. Miles adds
the Chipmunks’ family dynamics into his already pained beliefs, and tells them
that Dave and Samantha will eventually want to have children of their own, and
so Dave will release the Chipmunks back into the jungle. It’s their fear that
drives the Chipmunks on their journey. **BIGGEST SPOILER AHEAD: Dave hears and understands the Chipmunks’
fears, and the film ends with him taking them to court and legally adopting
them. One character expresses that they’ve always been like family, but Dave
says, “Yes, but it’s never been legal and formal. And I wanted to make it that
way.” The Chipmunks are obviously touched; they’re initially speechless, and
then whisper “We have a dad.” Then, for the first time in the film, they refer
to Dave as “Dad.” *** END SPOILERS ***
Early in the film, one character asks Dave about the
Chipmunks, “Are these your adopted kids, or how does that work?” Dave responds,
“I’ve never really thought about that.” The character replies, “They’re lucky
to have you.”
Strong Points
** SPOILERS AHEAD **
Dave ultimately adopts the Chipmunks, and together they talk
– and show – how significant the change is for the boys. Their entire journey
was fueled by the fear that Dave would abandon them for kids more genetically
like himself, and Dave is able – not just to tell them otherwise, but to show
them otherwise by making their adoption a formal one.
There is a theme throughout the movie of acceptance of a
wide range of families. One character says,
“It might not be the family photo
that comes in a frame, but it’s gonna be our family, and we’re proud of it.”
Challenges
The Chipmunks sing a love song to Dave, about he is the sun
in their sky – but they are doing this because they fear that he is mad at
them, and that they need to show him that they love him, or else he will send
them away forever. Their perception of Dave was completely wrong, however; he was
never even considering sending them away. Later, one of the Chipmunks wins the
friendship of Miles – but does so at the risk of his own life. This might
portray how kids take it upon themselves to fix actual (or perceived) difficult
family dynamics, but it would be important to make sure that kids don’t leave
this movie believing that it’s a kid’s job to avoid abandonment or abuse. Love
and safety should be something kids can take for granted.
The Chipmunks have a strong sense of family loyalty, but
their motto is kind of belligerent, along the lines of, “If you mess with one
of us, you mess with all of us.”
Miles is trying to process the loss of his father. He tries
to tell the Chipmunks that dads always leave, and that in time you get over
that loss. Miles doesn’t seem to actually believe that, and the Chipmunks aren’t
comforted.
Some people challenge the relationship between Dave and the Chipmunks,
saying that he’s “probably not their dad” because of their differences. Another
character responds, “Families come in all shapes and sizes and we don’t judge.”
Much of the film centers around Miles and the Chipmunks
coming to view each other as potential brothers. *SPOILER ALERT – they don’t
actually become brothers by the end of the film, - END SPOILER *
**SPOILER ALERT – although the adoption scene at the end of
the film is very positive, the Chipmunks had no idea that it was going to
happen, and I find myself wishing that they had been given a bit of advance
notice. Generally, when older kids are adopted, they have more advance
knowledge of it than the five minutes that the Chipmunks had. Still – it is a positive,
adoption-affirming ending. END SPOILER ***
Weak Points
The teenage son of Dave’s girlfriend is cruel to the
Chipmunks – he abuses them physically, and tries to convince them that they are
not truly a family with Dave, and that Dave will abandon them.
The Chipmunks do not feel comfortable to tell Dave what
Miles is doing and saying to them.
Miles gets the Chipmunks alone, and it seems that he will be
with them, without supervision, for a long time. He tells them “I will make you
my personal servants.” Kids who have been abused by caretakers might find this
theme – coupled with the threatened stability of an adoptive-like family, to be
hard to watch.
One character’s face gets pierced by many toothpicks.
Recommendations *MORE
SPOILERS IN THIS SECTION*
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip is definitely a mixed
bag. There is a very positive, adoption-affirming ending which powerfully
captures the positive feelings that older children have when someone carries
through a commitment to adopt them, but along the way there are several scenes with
characters questioning the validity of families that don’t look alike, and
there’s lots of talk of parental abandonment. These are real fears for some
kids who have been adopted or in foster care, and this film could be triggering
to them. Even though the general target demographic for the film is probably
much younger, I think it’s best suited, from an adoption perspective, for kids
ages 11-13. Kids that age could understand that the Chipmunks aren’t going to
be abandoned, and could reflect on the value the Chipmunks perceived in Dave’s
commitment to adopt them.
Questions for
Discussion
How important was it for the Chipmunks to be adopted? Do you
think they were surprised how much it meant to them?
How could Dave and the Chipmunks have avoided the great
lengths that the Chipmunks went to, to avoid abandonment?
Why didn’t the Chipmunks tell Dave how Miles was treating
them?
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