Garfield: The Movie

 Released Year: 2004

Directed by Peter Hewitt

Casted by:

Bill Murray as Garfield

Breckin Meyer as Jon Arbuckle

Jennifer Love Hewitt as Dr. Liz Wilson

 Story:

Garfield is a fat cat who lives with his owner, Jon Arbuckle in a middle class American cul-de-sac who live in the Ferndale, MI a suburb of Detroit. Garfield passes his time by harassing Jon and mocking a neighbor Doberman Pinscher, Luca. Aside from Jon, Garfield maintains an unlikely friendship with a mouse, Louis. He also interacts with and occasionally manipulates his fellow neighborhood cats, including the dimwitted Nermal and Garfield's romantic interest, Arlene (who are both seen as live-action cats).

Meanwhile, a local television host, Happy Chapman, known for his cat "Persnikitty" is introduced as supposedly a happy man, but in reality he is jealous of his brother Walter J. Chapman a news reporter, and wants to outwit him in success wise by performing on TV show Good Day New York. Jon has made a habit of bringing Garfield to the veterinarian, hoping to woo vet Dr. Liz Wilson. Jon tries to ask her out, but due to a misunderstanding, he is given custody of a stray dog, Odie. Regardless, Jon and Liz begin dating. Garfield is displeased at having to share the house with a dog, of whom Jon grows fond. Odie is brought to a canine talent show, where Liz is a judge. Garfield gets involved in a ruckus there with other animals, which moves Odie to the center of the ring, where he begins dancing to "Hey Mama" by The Black Eyed Peas.

His impromptu performance is a hit. Happy Chapman, who also is a judge of the dog show is impressed with Odie, and offers Jon a television deal for Odie, but Jon declines leaving Happy to apparently be envious of Odie. After Garfield causes a mess inside Jon's house, Jon puts him outside, where Odie comes to comfort him. Garfield reacts by running inside and locking Odie out. Odie runs away, and is picked up by an elderly woman named Mrs. Baker. A distraught Jon works with Liz to search for him, while the neighborhood animals ridicule Garfield for what he did to Odie. Meanwhile, Chapman and his assistant find a "lost dog" found poster Mrs. Baker created, of Odie and recognizing the lucrative possibilities, claim Odie as Happy's own. When Garfield sees Odie on television and hears Chapman announce he and Odie are going to New York City by train for a big performance on Good Day New York, Garfield, realizing his selfishness, vows to intervene. Garfield leaves his house on a rescue mission for Odie. At Chapman's studio at Telegraph Tower, Garfield finds Odie captive in a room; Chapman enters and secures a shock collar to Odie, which, when activated, releases an electric discharge that forces him to perform tricks.

Chapman heads for the train station, with Garfield in pursuit. However, an animal control officer snags Garfield as a runaway before he can reach Odie. Meanwhile, Jon contacts Mrs. Baker through her poster, and is told Odie's real owner had already retrieved him. Garfield is sprung from the pound by Chapman's abandoned feline star, Persnikitty who turns out to be actually named as Sir Roland. At the train station, while the P.A. saying that the Texas Eagle is going to Dallas and San Antonio, Texas, Chapman boards the train, with Odie in the luggage car. Garfield arrives only to see the train depart. As the train speeds away from the station, and seeing a child with a toy train engine (probably the Flying Scotsman in a different shape and size) makes Garfield remembers that his train set at home is similar, so he sneaks into the control room and attempts to stop Odie's train. The tracks get rearranged, leading to an impending train wreck. Garfield hits an emergency control and causes Chapman's train to return, and Garfield frees Odie and they exit the train. However, Chapman notices them walk out and gives chase. Chapman corners the two, and threatens Odie with the shock collar, but is greeted by Garfield's friends and animals from the pound, led by Sir Roland. They swarm and attack Chapman, allowing for Odie to escape.

Chapman gets up to find the shock collar has been placed on his own neck, from which he receives two powerful jolts. Jon and Liz arrive to reclaim the animals and find Chapman off-balance. Jon punches Chapman for stealing Odie, and leaves with Liz and the two animals. Chapman is arrested for his supposed involvement with the trains, as well as for abducting Odie and Wendall gives chase to the cops. Garfield regains the trust of his animal friends. Back at home, Liz kisses Jon, while Garfield seems to have learned about friendship, love and not to envy others. He then shoves Odie off his chair repeatedly, and the film closes with Garfield singing and dancing to James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)". He does a split and can't get it back up without help.

As the credits roll over the pics from the movie, Garfield is heard in the background asking Odie for ice.

 L² Scored: 6/10

L² Comment:

Garfield is one of my favorite comic character, but its not really look tat good in this movie. Beside Garfield, the rest of the animals are real including Odie. I would prefer to see Odie in the animation version, but well, the smart dog presented well enough and i love it so much~