37
Metascore
28 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 63McClatchy-Tribune News ServiceRoger MooreMcClatchy-Tribune News ServiceRoger MooreBetter than any animated film released in the doldrums of January has a right to be.
- 63New York PostLou LumenickNew York PostLou LumenickThe Nut Job has an interesting anti-socialist subtext, with the seemingly benevolent raccoon revealing himself as a power-mad dictator. It’s the most political non-Pixar cartoon feature since the very left-leaning “The Ant Bully’’ eight years ago.
- 50The Hollywood ReporterMichael RechtshaffenThe Hollywood ReporterMichael RechtshaffenThe production squeaks by on the visual charm of art director Ian Hastings’ period touches and warm autumnal hues. The voice talent is a decidedly mixed bag.
- 40VarietyPeter DebrugeVarietyPeter DebrugeThe critters look cute, but behave less so, while the competing-heists concept never quite takes off.
- 40Village VoiceChris PackhamVillage VoiceChris PackhamGood-natured and completely forgettable.
- 40Arizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzArizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzPeter Lepeniotis’ animated film brings together a good cast, including Will Arnett, Brendan Fraser and Liam Neeson, which sounds like a sweet deal. But it places them in an uninspired little movie about selfish behavior, which, while overcome (of course), never really manages to escape its bitter roots.
- 40Austin ChronicleKimberley JonesAustin ChronicleKimberley JonesThe richly hued CG animation is quite nice – a mix of hyperdetailed character work and painterly cityscapes and pastorals – and the script putters along with small but regular amusements.
- 30The DissolveTasha RobinsonThe DissolveTasha RobinsonEven at 86 minutes, with plenty of chases and action sequences thrown in, The Nut Job feels overstretched and arbitrary.
- 25Slant MagazineChris CabinSlant MagazineChris CabinThere's no personality in the design or the script, which only renders the cynical aftertaste of this convoluted one-squirrel-against the-world story all the more potent.
- The most egregious problem with The Nut Job is how shamelessly it fills in the gaps left by expanding Lepeniotis’ short with generic and tedious rogue-to-hero cliché.