Official Movie Website Theatrical Release 05/19/06 Home Video 10/17/06 MPAA Rating Rated PG for some rude humor and mild comic action Running Time 1 hour 34 minutes Genre Family Director Tim Johnson, Karey Kirkpatrick Writer Len Blum Cast Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, Steve Carell, William Shatner, Avril Lavigne, Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, Wanda Sykes, Nick Nolte, Omid Djalili, Allison Janney, Thomas Haden Church Studio Dreamwork Pictures |
OVER THE HEDGE
SYNOPSIS
Just whose backyard is it, anyway?
Spring has sprung, and Verne and his woodland
friends awaken from their long winter's nap to
discover that a tall, green "thing" has mysteriously
cropped up right through the middle of their home.
Enter RJ, an opportunistic raccoon, who explains that
the world beyond the hedge is the "gateway to the
good life" where peculiar creatures called humans
live to eat, rather than eat to live.
Suspicious and even a little jealous of RJ, the ever-
cautious Verne wants to keep his blended family
safely on their side of the hedge. But, proving the
adage that one man's garbage is another man's—or
rather animal's—treasure, the manipulative RJ tries
to convince the woodland band that there is little to
fear and everything to gain from their over-indulgent
new neighbors. Eventually, RJ and Verne form an
unlikely friendship as they learn to co-exist with—and
even exploit—this strange new world called suburbia.
Heading up an all-star voice cast, Bruce Willis (the
"Die Hard" franchise, "Sixth Sense") is the voice of
the mischievous con-artist raccoon named RJ, and
Emmy winner Garry Shandling (TV's "The Larry
Sanders Show," "It's Garry Shandling's Show")
voices the overprotective turtle named Verne in the
computer-animated comedy "Over the Hedge."
Just whose backyard is it, anyway?
Spring has sprung, and Verne and his woodland
friends awaken from their long winter's nap to
discover that a tall, green "thing" has mysteriously
cropped up right through the middle of their home.
Enter RJ, an opportunistic raccoon, who explains that
the world beyond the hedge is the "gateway to the
good life" where peculiar creatures called humans
live to eat, rather than eat to live.
Suspicious and even a little jealous of RJ, the ever-
cautious Verne wants to keep his blended family
safely on their side of the hedge. But, proving the
adage that one man's garbage is another man's—or
rather animal's—treasure, the manipulative RJ tries
to convince the woodland band that there is little to
fear and everything to gain from their over-indulgent
new neighbors. Eventually, RJ and Verne form an
unlikely friendship as they learn to co-exist with—and
even exploit—this strange new world called suburbia.
Heading up an all-star voice cast, Bruce Willis (the
"Die Hard" franchise, "Sixth Sense") is the voice of
the mischievous con-artist raccoon named RJ, and
Emmy winner Garry Shandling (TV's "The Larry
Sanders Show," "It's Garry Shandling's Show")
voices the overprotective turtle named Verne in the
computer-animated comedy "Over the Hedge."
Rounding out the voice cast of "Over the Hedge" are: Steve Carell ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin," TV's "The
Office") as a hyperactive squirrel named Hammy; two-time Emmy winner William Shatner (TV's "Boston
Legal") as Ozzie, a possum who excels at playing dead with a melodramatic flair; chart-topping recording
artist Avril Lavigne as Ozzie's daughter, Heather; Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy (both "A Mighty
Wind," "Best in Show"), who are paired as the porcupine couple Penny and Lou, with a brood of little
porcupine mouths to feed; comedienne Wanda Sykes as a sassy skunk named Stella; two-time Oscar®
nominee Nick Nolte ("Affliction," "The Prince of Tides") as a bear named Vincent; and Omid Djalili
("Casanova") as a spoiled housecat named Tiger. On the human side, four-time Emmy winner Allison
Janney (TV's "The West Wing") plays Gladys, the president of the local homeowners' association, who
isn't about to see her neighborhood overrun by wildlife; and Oscar® nominee Thomas Haden Church
("Sideways") as "the Verminator," whom Gladys hires to rid the area of our woodland heroes.
Based on the popular comic strip by Michael Fry and T Lewis, "Over the Hedge" is being directed by Tim
Johnson ("Antz") and Karey Kirkpatrick ("Chicken Run" screenwriter), making his directorial debut.
Bonnie Arnold ("Toy Story," "Tarzan") is producing.
--© DreamWorks
Office") as a hyperactive squirrel named Hammy; two-time Emmy winner William Shatner (TV's "Boston
Legal") as Ozzie, a possum who excels at playing dead with a melodramatic flair; chart-topping recording
artist Avril Lavigne as Ozzie's daughter, Heather; Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy (both "A Mighty
Wind," "Best in Show"), who are paired as the porcupine couple Penny and Lou, with a brood of little
porcupine mouths to feed; comedienne Wanda Sykes as a sassy skunk named Stella; two-time Oscar®
nominee Nick Nolte ("Affliction," "The Prince of Tides") as a bear named Vincent; and Omid Djalili
("Casanova") as a spoiled housecat named Tiger. On the human side, four-time Emmy winner Allison
Janney (TV's "The West Wing") plays Gladys, the president of the local homeowners' association, who
isn't about to see her neighborhood overrun by wildlife; and Oscar® nominee Thomas Haden Church
("Sideways") as "the Verminator," whom Gladys hires to rid the area of our woodland heroes.
Based on the popular comic strip by Michael Fry and T Lewis, "Over the Hedge" is being directed by Tim
Johnson ("Antz") and Karey Kirkpatrick ("Chicken Run" screenwriter), making his directorial debut.
Bonnie Arnold ("Toy Story," "Tarzan") is producing.
--© DreamWorks
BRENDA AND DAVID
Over the Hedge begins with RJ (Bruce Willis) stealing then destroying the food of Vincent the Bear (Nick
Nolte). Vincent has given RJ one week to replace the food or he will be his next meal. RJ befriends a
group of animals, led by Verne, the turtle (Gary Shandling). He persuades the animals, Hammy the
squirrel (Steve Carell), Stella the skunk (Wanda Sykes), Ozzie the possum and daughter (William
Shatner and Avril Lavigne), and the family of porcupines, (Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara) to steal
the food from the humans thinking it will be food for the themselves not to pay off RJ's debt to the bear.
While the animals hibernated, a new subdivision had been built surrounded by a gaint hedge. RJ's job
is to enlighten the gang on how much better the food thrown away by the humans taste than the root
and bark the animals are use to eating. He takes them "over the hedge" to sample and steal the
goodies in the trash can. Steve Carell, the voice of Hammy the squirrel, is the scene stealer. Over the
Hedge, co-directed by Tim Johnson (director of Antz) and Karey Kirkpatrick (writer of Chicken Run), will
have you laughing from the beginning to the end and can be enjoyed by the whole family.
Over the Hedge begins with RJ (Bruce Willis) stealing then destroying the food of Vincent the Bear (Nick
Nolte). Vincent has given RJ one week to replace the food or he will be his next meal. RJ befriends a
group of animals, led by Verne, the turtle (Gary Shandling). He persuades the animals, Hammy the
squirrel (Steve Carell), Stella the skunk (Wanda Sykes), Ozzie the possum and daughter (William
Shatner and Avril Lavigne), and the family of porcupines, (Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara) to steal
the food from the humans thinking it will be food for the themselves not to pay off RJ's debt to the bear.
While the animals hibernated, a new subdivision had been built surrounded by a gaint hedge. RJ's job
is to enlighten the gang on how much better the food thrown away by the humans taste than the root
and bark the animals are use to eating. He takes them "over the hedge" to sample and steal the
goodies in the trash can. Steve Carell, the voice of Hammy the squirrel, is the scene stealer. Over the
Hedge, co-directed by Tim Johnson (director of Antz) and Karey Kirkpatrick (writer of Chicken Run), will
have you laughing from the beginning to the end and can be enjoyed by the whole family.
© 2003 St. Louis Movie Review Weekly. All rights reserved, except where indicated.
All movie titles, pictures, etc...are the property of their respective studios.
All movie titles, pictures, etc...are the property of their respective studios.
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