LaFountaine

On Wednesday I saw the movie “Fat Albert”, which starred: Kenan Thompson, Aaron Frazier, Omarion,Raven-Symone and Jeremy Suarez.

The storyline involved the following: “"Hey, Hey, Hey--it's Fat Albert!" From the very first introductory line--voiced by Albert (Kenan Thompson) himself--you cringe just a little. It's like watching a good friend attempt a tough impersonation you hope he can pull off. The story hews close to what the cartoon Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids was always all about--a goofy gaggle of African-American kids making the best of growing up in a rough neighborhood in Philadelphia. No matter what the trouble--runaways, drug use, juvenile delinquency--they managed to find a way to solve everyone's problems and bookend each episode with the contagiously upbeat "Na, na, na--gonna have a good time! Hey, hey, hey!" The same goes here--only in a modern twist, the problem to solve happens to be in the "real world." Doris (Kyla Pratt), a shy and lonely teenager, has a rough day at school where she learned she wasn't invited to a big party. She comes home to watch Fat Albert on TV Land, and a stray teardrop hits the remote control, creating a magical portal through which the animated Fat Albert, and gang decide to jump. Scaring the heck out of the bewildered Doris, the guys stumble out of the television set and take to their realistic surroundings, and mission, quite quickly. In short order, they set about trying to find Doris some new friends, much to her embarrassed chagrin, and along the way they try to make sense of modern day life with its perplexing cell phones, pull-top cans and rap music. Yet, the more time they spend in the real world, the more they fade away, their clothes becomes more washed out, and eventually they even seem transparent.”

I give this movie a “C+”, and it is the worth of an admission ticket, a small popcorn and a small soft drink. Kyla Pratt’s character was not likeable, and Bill Cosby saved the movie.

posted by Frank LaFountaine @ 9:17 AM