Gabby’s Dollhouse first began as a show on Netflix, which was created by Traci Page Johnson, a Blue’s Clues veteran, and Jennifer Twomey. Similar to Blue’s Clues, this was an interactive show which combined both animation and live-action. It stars the titular character, Gabby (Laila Lockhart Kraner), who would go on adventures in the dollhouse as she sings a song to transform herself small enough to enter. This is a show aimed at pre-schoolers, and from the sound of the press screening that was attended, Gabby’s Dollhouse is big with the children, hence its film adaptation.
Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie is a continuation of the Netflix show and features Gabby as a teenager as she deals with growing up and what that means for her. Meanwhile, Vera (Kristen Wiig), an eccentric cat lady, has taken Gabby’s dollhouse for herself, which Gabby and Pandy Paws must retrieve to save the Gabby Cats.
This is a movie that’s not made with adults in mind; it’s for the fans of Gabby’s Dollhouse and for children who enjoy media like this, so if you have children or young relatives that fit that demographic, then this is the perfect movie to watch over the half-term. The show aims to teach valuable lessons to young children, and DreamWorks Animation took that idea and expanded it large enough to work for a film.
Gabby’s Dollhouse, being a feature-length, theatrically released film, doesn’t take away from its identity. Laila Lockhart Kraner continues to talk to the audience in hopes of getting their help with finding items or singing to help progress the movie. Kraner’s performance is charming yet energetic, which helps to keep the children connected with the film’s story.
Gabby is sent on a quest to retrieve her dollhouse and rescue the Gabby Cats, which are all in unique locales (around Vera’s house, ranging from an aquarium to a garden). Throughout this segment, we get to see Gabby help out people in need before departing, showing her kindhearted nature. Once Gabby is successful in this, we return to the dollhouse, and it feels like the story is beginning to wrap up; it reaches yet another conflict, which gets resolved before another conflict arises once again.
Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie struggles with a story that’s so simple to follow because, although it has an important message behind it, which is “to never be scared of growing up and to remain true to yourself”, the movie doesn’t have any real antagonists or stakes that put our main characters into any sort of trouble. Vera is frantically obsessed with cats and quickly falls in love with Gabby’s dollhouse, which she takes for herself after it gets lost, but she’s never truly depicted as a villain.
She doesn’t want to ruin Gabby’s life or harm the Gabby Cats; she has simply lost touch with her childhood and has resorted to being a collector, losing the passion she once had for cat-related toys. Kristen Wiig surprisingly was the perfect fit for Vera and ends up having a lot of fun with the role, but her character is not ever really given much to do.
When looking back on films aimed at kids that were released decades ago, these movies used to pass on similar messages, but would have actual stakes for their characters. Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie takes parts of Toy Story 2 and 3, yet doesn’t have any moments such as the risk of losing Woody forever or the risk of all the toys being incinerated. This one lacks that feeling, and it’s a problem becoming more prominent in films aimed at a younger audience, where they’re too scared to commit fully to the story and play it safe.
While Kristen Wiig is great as Vera, the film easily could’ve felt more relatable to the kids if it had perhaps featured her attending school, making friends and having to deal with growing up that way with a classmate acting as the antagonist. Not only are you tackling growing up, but you’re also dealing with how to handle bullying at a young age; it’s two birds with one stone. Alas, that’s not what we got with Gabby.
Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie has a great selection of music that will have you wanting to kick your feet and bop your head (“Kaleidoscope” being a personal favourite). The film lacks creativity in exploring its message, and the movie begins to drag in the third act as it lacks the connective tissue from the second act to feel coherent and a real “antagonist” to help drive the film forward. It might end up being rather generic and bland, but at the end of the day, it’s a harmless movie that’s cute with some great performances that will be perfect for your kids who are fans of the show.
★★ 1/2
In cinemas from October 16th / Laila Lockhart Kraner, Kristen Wiig, Gloria Estefan, Jason Mantzoukas / Dir: Ryan Crego / Universal Pictures / U
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