Film Review: Home

Sometimes it’s nice to forget deadlines and the everyday stresses of life and revert to your childhood with an animated film. This is exactly the kind of escapism that DreamWorks’ Home provides to its audience. It follows the story of an alien named Oh (voiced by Big Bang Theory’s Jim Parsons) who arrives on Earth along with the rest of his kind (the Boov) in order to flee from their enemies the Gorgs. During his time on earth, Oh befriends a young girl Gratuity ‘Tip’ Tucci (voiced by none other than Rihanna). The film is a heart-warming adventure as the unlikely pair (along with Pig the cat) battle to save the fate of earth.

I approached this film expecting a light-hearted comedy. What I did not expect was the range of emotions this film would inspire in me and I was surprised when I found myself getting invested in the characters and their stories, particularly the budding friendship between Oh and Tip. However, what really made this film for me was the soundtrack. As well as voicing one of the main characters, Rihanna also created the concept for the soundtrack (which was released on March 24^th). The film features music from the likes of Charli XCX, Kiesza, Jacob Plant and Jennifer Lopez, and of course Rihanna herself. The music enhances the viewing of the film, particularly Rihanna’s ambient ‘Towards the Sun’. The music was particularly effective during a crucial attack scene where the aliens were fleeing from the Gorgs. ‘Drop That’, a track from well known producer and DJ Jacob Plant, accompanied the scene. The drop was so unexpected in a children’s film that I almost choked on my popcorn and I began to feel like I was in Cuban as opposed to the comfort of a cinema. I highly recommend the soundtrack for anyone looking for any new music.

This film is great to watch when you want to switch off. When you see past some of the more juvenile humour and get used to the strange language used by Oh, the film conveys a deeper message about friendship, courage and facing your fears. Hope will have you smiling long after you’ve left the cinema.

Catch Home at Curzon, Canterbury from 4th – 9th April.