I grew up reading Charles Schulz's Peanuts comic strip and watching the animated specials. Vince Guaraldi's music for the specials (especially "Linus and Lucy," which is widely considered the main theme of the Peanuts gang) is part of my identity as a musician. And I even got to play Schroeder in the stage musical You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (twice!). So my view of all things Peanuts seems kinda personal.
The thought of a new computer-animated movie featuring the Peanuts characters worried me. Would it be faithful to the comics? Would it get things right? Would it ruin my childhood?!?! After watching The Peanuts Movie (2015), I looked back at my initial hesitancy and thought, good grief.
My favorite part of the entire movie came right at the top with the 20th Century Fox fanfare being played by Schroeder on his piano. That clever touch hooked me right away. As the story began and we got our first look at the animation, all my worries quickly melted away. The animators have updated the characters for CG animation, yet they present everything in a way that stays true to how we've seen them over the years. The characters are always shown from angles we've seen before and are never quite fully 3D. And although the story seems to take place in the same old timeline, everything looks bright and fresh and vibrant.
The story touches on a lot of familiar themes and moments we know from previous versions. What this version does is bring these stories to a whole new generation. Some critics felt that the movie lacked ambition, but it could be argued that changing things too much would have been jarring for those of us who grew up with these characters. To be fair, there isn't really anything "new" in this movie, but it's been put together in a newer, bigger way for a modern movie audience, and I didn't mind that.
The voice actors, beginning with Noah Schnapp as Charlie Brown, are perfect. The qualities we already know and love in these characters have once again been brought to life with spot-on casting. And the relationship dynamics we've come to know are all present and accounted for. Lucy is still overbearing, Linus is still thoughtful and intelligent, Peppermint Patty is still an outspoken tomboy, and Charlie Brown still struggles with anxiety (more on this later). Part of why people have enjoyed these characters is how familiar they are to us. I'm sure they represent, on some level, the different facets of Charles Schulz's personality, which makes them instantly relatable to many people. They never encounter earth-shaking events or problems, but ordinary, down-to-earth issues. In a way, the Peanuts characters represent us, and face many of the same situations and decisions.
The only fantastical elements of the movie occur when Snoopy lets his imagination run free. The World War I Flying Ace sequences are a riot, shoe in a much more cinematic style than the surrounding story. The animators have cleverly framed the action so that we never see the bottom of Snoopy's doghouse when he's flying. I got a huge kick out of how the filmmakers were able to mesh the silliness of what Snoopy does with the scope of his imagination. Of course, Snoopy steals the movie every time he appears on screen. (Yet another familiar detail.) I would place Snoopy on a short list of favorite animated movie dogs alongside Gromit and Dug (from Up).
There is one element of the movie that I didn't love, and that was the inclusions of a couple of songs by Meghan Trainor and Flo Rida. Fun music, to be sure, but they feel out of place in a story set at a time when there are still corded phones and not a computer in sight. I would have been more content with just the Christophe Beck score and the original Vince Guaraldi music. Maybe that's just me, though. (Does that make me some sort of traditionalist who only wants the same old thing? Not necessarily, although I've probably made it sound that way.) It's a tricky balancing act when older material is "updated."
One danger common to movies adapted from well-known source material is the tendency of critics and audiences to think they know how the movie "should have been made," and to declare their opinions with an air of superiority. Let's face it, it's all opinion, it's all subjective. In the case of this movie, I may have a strong personal connection to the characters, but I would find it hard to argue with the direction taken by the filmmakers. And who are the people behind the film? Well, let's see. There's director Steven Martino, an established name in animated films. Schulz's widow, Jean Schulz, served as an executive producer. The screenplay was co-written by Schulz's son Craig, along with his son Bryan, and Cornelius Uliano. The fact that control of the movie was kept within the family, so to speak, gave me confidence to trust their decisions. I get the feeling they know these characters more intimately than anybody.
Some critics took issue with what they felt was a break in tone between the movie and the comic strip. Joe McGovern from Entertainment Weekly referred to "the great melancholy that's so key to the comic's endurance." Another critic said the movie was "too happy" compared to the original comic. I'm not going to be bold enough to declare that these comments are somehow "wrong," or a misreading of the comic strip. Instead of a break in tone, I would consider that the movie reflects an evolution of how we view these characters.
I mentioned that Charlie Brown struggles with anxiety. He worries too much about what other people will think about him, he worries that he's not good enough, he frets over first impressions, he worries about looking silly in front of his peers. But he is also unfailingly kind, willing to work hard to accomplish his goals, and a reliable friend. When his little sister faces a difficult moment during a school assembly, he becomes the awesome, supportive older brother she needs. When he is mistakenly celebrated for a perfect test score, he wastes no time in telling the truth regardless of the consequences. When he goes to Lucy for advice, it's surprising to realize that he's shunning the "typical male" behavior of bottling things up (Charlie Brown is open about his issues and insecurities in a therapeutic setting on a level that people should use as an example). Whether he's facing the things that worry him or making multiple attempts to fly a kite, Charlie Brown is a pure example of perseverance. This story shows us that he is a person of character, a person worth admiring.
The Peanuts Movie celebrates all of these qualities and left me with an overwhelming feeling of joy. Charlie Brown isn't a great character because he does the unthinkable, but because he starts each day with strong morals and a big heart. He confronts the same things we do in a way that is ultimately courageous. If only we could all be as brave as Charlie Brown.
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