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Steve Carell (left) is the voice of Gru, the villian in Despicable Me who tries to steal the moon in this animated film.

By Maggie Scott

Steve Carell adds to his considerable comedy resume with a multi-dimensional voice-over portrayal of the character Gru in Universal Pictures’ three-dimensional animated comedy, Despicable Me.

As a blended version of the Grinch and Scrooge, his Slavic-accented, suavely slimey egomaniac, with a talent for diabolical inventions and thefts, strides through life literally puncturing anything smacking of good will.

He’s a villain, and villains have a reputation to uphold. But, stealing someone’s order at the fast food counter after freezing everyone standing in line is chump change when it comes to that reputation.

Even though he’s taken things like Time’s Square’s Jumbotron, the Statue of Liberty (the smaller one from Las Vegas) and the Eiffel Tower (likewise from Las Vegas), Gru has bigger fish to fry. Especially, when he hears the alarmed news anchor’s report of a mysterious villain who has stolen a pyramid and replaced it with a blow-up (subsequently punctured by a pint-sized, houligan tourist in the opening minutes of the story).

Gru isn’t about to let somebody else claim the title of the Greatest Villain of All Time. That honor will be his and his alone when he steals…the Moon! Even villains have a hard time finding financing for crimes of the century unless they can convince hard-hearted bankers that they’ve got what it takes to earn the title. The bank has financed Gru before and thinks it isn’t getting much for its investment.

This time, the bank wants Gru’s shrink ray for collateral.  An apparatus coveted by one Vector (voice of Jason Segel), the obnoxious wunderkind who is out to out-Gru Gru.  Although he’s got a lab assistant named Dr. Nefario (voice of Russell Brand) and an army of mischievous Minions, taking on Vector will take additional reinforcements for Gru in the shape of three little orphan girls from the hateful Miss Hattie’s Home for Girls.

Margo (voice of Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (voice of Dana Gaier) and Agnes (voice of Elsie Fisher) are resourceful, sweet and hopeful.  Hopeful that there’s someone out there who will adopt them.  They’re happy, but a bit skeptical, when it turns out to be Gru. A man whose own memories of childhood are filled with the sound of his mother (voice of Julie Andrews) turning up her nose in a disdainful “eh” every time her son turned to her for approval.

But the kids get down to the business of being kids, despite Gru’s rule about “no annoying sounds” and his aversion to amusement parks, dance recitals, bedtime stories and good night kisses.  Gru’s little “major distractions” will ultimately worm their way into his shriveled heart with their generosity, their courage and their ultimate belief in Gru’s capacity to change his despicable ways.

Directors Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin don’t get much of a payoff with their 3-D format (although it adds a smidge to the fun of such sequences as a roller coaster ride and a perilous high wire walk; and make sure you stay seated through the credits).  Although this is the gimmick du jour, it cannot save a poorly written, weakly animated work. The effect soon fades in the background of the viewer’s attention when caught up by such endearingly-drawn characters and hilarious, poignant writing as you’ll delightfully discover in Despicable Me.  Rated PG

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