Garfield Gets Real (2007)

Garfield is back with a new look. Tired with his routine as a comic strip star, Garfield escapes the page and heads into the "real world." While living the low-key life of a real housecat... See full synopsis »

Directors:

Mark A.Z. Dippé, Kyung Ho Lee

Writer:

Jim Davis

Stars:

Frank Welker, Rajia Baroudi, Gregg Berger

Cast

Credited cast:
Frank Welker	...	Garfield / Keith / Prop Boy / Nerd / Two Headed Guy / Goth Kid / Hardy (voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rajia Baroudi	...	Sheila / Concertina Girl (voice)
Gregg Berger	...	Odie / Shecky / Hale (voice)
Jennifer Darling	...	Bonita / Mother / Rusty / Bobby (voice)
Greg Eagles	...	Eli (voice)
Pat Fraley	...	Delivery Gnome / Sid (voice)
Jason Marsden	...	Nermal (voice)
David Michie	...	Tape Holder (voice)
Harold Perrineau	...	Husband (voice)
Neil Ross	...	Wally / Charles (voice)
Stephen Stanton	...	Randy / Father (voice)
Fred Tatasciore	...	Billy / Waldo / Eric (voice)
Audrey Wasilewski	...	Arlene / Zelda / Betty / Ashley (voice)
Wally Wingert	...	Jon Arbuckle / Mike (voice)

Storyline

Garfield is back with a new look. Tired with his routine as a comic strip star, Garfield escapes the page and heads into the "real world." While living the low-key life of a real housecat... See full synopsis »

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Plot Keywords:

cartoon cat | reference to garfield | pet | cat | dog | 

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Genres:

Animation | Comedy | Family

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Flemish

Release Date:

16 November 2007 (Turkey)

Also Known As:

Gardfield-a zampa libera

Company Credits

Production Co:

Animation Picture Company, Davis Entertainment, Paws

Technical Specs

Runtime:

75 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Was originally slated to be released in theaters for October 2007.

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Goofs

When Garfield wakes up, that day is Monday. However, when the newspaper gets printed, it states that it is Thursday.

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Crazy Credits

No cats were harmed in the making of this film.

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Connections

Follows Garfield Gets a Life (1991)

User Reviews

An acquired taste

Garfield is ready to make a comeback (after the live action movies) with a CGI movie, bringing the fat cat back to somewhat familiar territory: the world of animation. But Garfield purists beware, the jump to 3D comes along with a jump in plot. In order to summarize it, the odd premise must be tackled.

In Garfield Gets Real, Garfield, Odie, John Arbuckle and the rest of the cast live in the "cartoon" world. The idea behind this is that the characters acknowledge their own little fourth wall. They get up, go to work and "film" comic strips with their director and scripts like an actual movie, magically send the finished strips into the newspapers of the "real world" and then watch people's reactions through a magical window viewer that lets them see out of the newspaper. The premise is odd, a little juvenile, and feels like something reserved for fanfiction to introduce a Mary Sue (well, actually, there may be a little more thought put into than what a Sue writer would come up with).

Anyways, Garfield, like the lazy cat that he is, is now tired and bored of this everyday routine. When he discovers that it's possible for cartoons to go into the real world, he (and Odie through an accident) end up in the real world with no way back, and with the others left to watch in horror. Garfield and Odie go on to start their new lives, only to find the real world isn't all that he thought it would be cracked up to be, and that if he doesn't get home soon, his strip will be canceled.

If you compare this to the Garfield specials of old, you will probably be disappointed. Quite frankly this isn't on that level, as can be seen through its premise which is a little out there even for Garfield, but it is good for what it as. The voice acting is great, the characters are in character (Nermal is a nuisance and the first to try to benefit from Garfield's departure), but probably the most notable thing is the animation, which is excellent. There are several points where the level of skill is demonstrated, such as the introduction. In some cases I feel like they might be doing a little TOO much for something based around Garfield. I mean, Garfield doesn't exactly require Pixar animation.

My only real disappointment with this film is that, staying within the confines of the movie, it didn't play around with the idea of Garfield in the "real world" quite as much as I'd like. What he actually does there is quite limited, there just seemed like so much gag and humor potential wasted. That, and despite the animation that actual design between the cartoon and real world isn't that different. Really, the only way you can tell the difference is that the cartoon world is brighter and has certain absurdities like superheroes soaring through the air, bubbles coming out of tailpipes and ridiculous character design (that is, until you see the fat goth kid in the real world...he certainly takes the cake).