The new movie “Home” has received attention for its A-list cast, but Rihanna and Jim Parsons weren’t enough to save the children’s movie.
“Home” is based on Adam Rex’s 2007 children’s book, “The True Meaning of Smekday.”
The story centers around aliens, called Boovs, taking over Earth in order to hide from their enemy, the Gorgs. In order to do that they must move all of the humans to Australia. One specific Boov, named Oh, is the friendliest of the Boovs. He is misunderstood, and is not accepted for who he is.
Oh accidentally invites the enemy to a housewarming party he is hosting. This leads him into hiding where he makes an unexpected friend, a human girl named Tip, on the way. Tip is attempting to find her mother, who was taken during the abduction of the humans. The two build an unbreakable bond that is supposed to express the meaning of friendship.
The plot lacks dimension, and is often difficult to follow.
Jim Parsons from “The Big Bang Theory” is the voice of Oh. Although he is known for his nerdy character, he shows a sweet side to his comedic character. Parsons adds humor to his voice, and does not rely on the physicality of the animation to hold the humor.
Rihanna adds a new experience to her resume, with her role in “Home.” Rihanna is the voice for Tip. Although, she can belt a tune, her voice over work is not as outstanding.
Jennifer Lopez voices Tip’s Mother, Lucy. Lopez’s character is not in the movie nearly as much as other characters, but it is easy to hear “Jenny from the Block’s” voice throughout her part.
Overall, “Home” was extremely difficult to follow. It had a deeper hidden meaning, but it was masked with slapstick jokes, and misplaced humor. The big name cast fell flat with the hopes of making a comedy that would appeal to both parents and children.