A Little light relief (From Western Telegraph)

A Little light relief

Stuart Little 2 Director: Rob Minkoff Starring: Michael J. Fox, Geena Davis, Hugh Laurie, Jonathan Lipnicki, Anna Hoelck, Nathan Lane and Steve Zahn (Cert PG, 89 mins)

Stuart Little was the big-hearted story of a small mouse, based on the book of the same name by E.B. White. In the 1999 hit movie of Stuart Little, very well-to-do parents decide to adopt a little brother for their son played by Jonathan Lipnicki. To everyones surprise, except Mr and Mrs Littles, the second son that they bring home is a mouse. I mean he talks and all, and he can drive cars as long as theyre tiny battery powered ones. He even wears plus-fours and golf sweaters! Nevertheless, he is a mouse.

Now the number one son, the human one, finds this a little odd and its really hard to disagree with his protestations that Stuart is not what he expected. So Jonathan and Stuart have their differences. After some impostor mice parents turn up o claim Stuart, and various other shenanigans take place, the Little family become the happiest brood on earth.

I may sound scathing, but I loved Stuart Little and the fact that I used the word shenanigans must prove that. This week sees the release of Stuart Little 2. It brings all the same elements together again, that gave such quality to the silly little original. Mr and Mrs Little are played by the brilliant Hugh Laurie and Geena Davis and Jonathan Lipnicki is back. As for the talking animals, Michael J. Fox is back voicing the talented mouse Stuart, while Nathan Lane, one on my favourite comic actors, is back as the voice of the house cat, Snowbell.

In this new adventure the cast is notably added to by James Woods, Melanie Griffith, and Steve Zahn. We see Stuart, Snowbell and George getting up to all kinds of mischief. Stuart even flies a plane! He basically goes walkabout on the streets of New York trying to rescue his new friend, a bird (voiced by Melanie Griffith). The baddy is a falcon (voiced by James Woods) that has done a runner, or a flyer, with Mrs Littles engagement ring.

Stuart Little 2 is a family movie. Its great too. Its an example of how the wonders of technology have really profited a story set in a fantasy reality. Vaughan Sivell