By Sabrina Cognata

Growing up one of the most avidly watched cartoons in my house was ALVIN AND THE CHIMPMUNKS.  These cute little rodents wore their way into my heart so many years ago, and not much has changed.  This holiday season has been blessed with a remake of the classic cartoon for the silver screen.  Dave (Jason Lee) a struggling musician and songwriter is rejected again for his artistic talents.  His friend Ian (David Cross), a big music executive tells him to give up on his dream and stop wasting his time.  On his way out of Ian’s building, three tiny chipmunks use him to hitch a ride. 

Once inside his house Alvin (voice by Justin Long), Simon (voiced by Matthew Gray Gubler) and Theodore (voiced by Jesse McCartney) break into their Mecca, Dave’s kitchen cabinets and ransack his house.  When Dave finally notices his chipmunk friends, they speak to him and he thinks he going insane.  Finally, after bantering with them he decides they can stay because he’s heard them sing and they’re truly amazing.  He tells them he’s their friend and manager and he’ll be in charge of their career.  That evening he pens their first hit, The Chipmunk Christmas Song.

Dave drags the Chipmunks to Ian’s office to have them perform, but they suffer from stage fright and fail to impress Ian.  Next, the boys cause Dave to lose his job after they scribble all over his presentation boards, and finally they mess up his date with his former girlfriend—even though they were trying to help.  Dave thinks about kicking them out and even writes a letter saying so, but ends up tossing the note on the floor.  Alvin, Simon and Theodore feel badly about everything they’ve done so they take a cab to Ian’s palace and impress him with Dave’s Christmas tune. 


Immediately, Ian signs the Chipmunks and Dave’s songwriting career begins.  Ian showers the boys with presents and fun, while Dave acts as parental figure and enforces guidelines and rules.  The boys want to call Dave dad and consider him their family, but he refuses to acknowledge this.  Eventually, Theodore stumbles upon the note Dave originally wrote to get rid of them, and thinks it was recently done.  They decide to leave Dave’s apartment to live with Ian.

At Ian’s house things are fun 24-7 until Ian initiates their rigorous work schedule.  After he works the boys to death nonstop they begin to peter out and die.  Dave worries about them and contacts Ian about this.  Ian says they want nothing to do with Dave.  Regardless of this Dave decides to show up to their concert.  Once he breaks in, he gets the attention of his Chipmunk’s who stop performing entirely to try and run to him.  Ian gets in the way and imprisons them in a cat carryall.  The tree boys escape and once again hitch a ride in Dave’s car, surprising him after they get away from Ian.  Dave says he wants to be their family and take care of them for good and the Chipmunks gladly agree.  Their career’s taking off, as is Dave’s and together they work as a family to achieve happiness and success.

I actually like this movie a lot and am surprised by how hilariously appropriate Jason Lee ends portraying Dave.  It is a nice break from seeing him with his silly Earl mustache.  The voices of the chipmunks sound exactly the way I remember them from childhood.  Overall, I think it was a cute holiday movie that upheld the memories I have of the Chipmunks from my own youth.