Published in: Snapshot Reviews

Summer Snapshot Review “The Secret Life of Pets”

Author OneFilmFan

Published on: July 16, 2016

First, the Recap:

Ok, be honest.  You know you wonder what really happens when you leave the house, right? Terrier Max (voiced by Louis C.K.) very much has “the life”.  With an owner, Katie (voiced by Ellie Kemper) who loves him like no other, Max greatly misses her when she leaves each day, but finds solace with all the other pets living in the Manhattan-based apartment building he resides. One day, however, life becomes more complicated when Katie brings home an unexpected (and uninvited!) “roommate” in the form of a massive and scruffy mix, Duke (voiced by Eric Stonestreet). Max’s dislike of his new “friend” ends up throwing them into a huge adventure involving an evil scheme being plotted by a group of discarded former pets and their leader, the bunny Snowball (voiced by Kevin Hart).

Worth Seeing: Yes

Illumination Entertainment and “Despicable Me” series director Chris Renaud bring along co-director Yarrow Cheney for this family-friendly entry that at minimum puts new meaning to “while the cat’s away–“.  In this case, it’s when the owner’s away that pets come to life, changing up their assumed “routines”, and engaging in fun and/or outrageous activities. Here it goes beyond the home and into the streets and sewers of NYC, accomplishing a decent story with plenty of laughs along the way (Hart’s Snowball and Jenny Slate’s American Eskimo dog Gidget are a riot!). It lacked the total endearing quality of the “Despicable Me” films for this reviewer, but it is still a worthy bit of escapism to go enjoy and relax with for the Summer.

As always, this is all for your consideration and comment.  Until next time, thank you for reading!