Garfield: The Movie

This article is about the 2004 live-action film. For the 2024 animated film, seeThe Garfield Movie.

Garfield: The Movie
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Peter Hewitt
Written by	Joel Cohen Alec Sokolow
Based on	Garfield byJim Davis
Produced by	John Davis
Starring	Breckin Meyer Jennifer Love Hewitt Stephen Tobolowsky Bill Murray
Cinematography	Dean Cundey
Edited by	Michael A. Stevenson Peter E. Berger
Music by	Christophe Beck
Production companies	Davis Entertainment Paws, Inc.
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date	June 11, 2004(2004-06-11)
Running time	84 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$50 million
Box office	$208.1 million

Garfield: The Movieis a 2004 Americancomedy filmbased onJim Davis' comic stripGarfield.Directed byPeter Hewittand written byJoel CohenandAlec Sokolow,it starsBreckin MeyerasJon Arbuckle,Jennifer Love Hewittas Dr. Liz Wilson and featuresBill Murrayas the voice ofGarfield,who was created withcomputer-generated imagery.

Produced byDavis Entertainmentand20th Century Fox,Garfield: The Moviewas released in the United States on June 11, 2004 to negative reviews from critics. It was a commercial success, grossing $208 million on a $50 million budget.A sequel,Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties,was released in 2006.

Plot

Garfield,an overweight, lethargic and free-spirited orange cat, lives with his owner Jon Arbuckle. Garfield passes his time by tormenting Jon and outwitting his viciousDobermannneighbor, Luca. Aside from Jon, Garfield maintains an unlikely friendship with a mouse,Louis,by constantly sparing him, and also socializes with his fellow neighborhood cats,NermalandArlene.

Jon has begun habitually bringing Garfield to theveterinarian,in order to see vet Dr. Liz Wilson, whom he is in love with. Jon tries to ask Liz out, but due to a misunderstanding, Jon is given custody of a dog namedOdie,who is sociable, friendly and hyperactive. Garfield, however, takes an instant dislike to Odie and competes for Jon's attention. Odie is brought to acanine talent show,where Liz is a judge. Garfield gets chased by other dogs, which prompts Odie to the center of the ring, where he does a successfulimprovised danceto theBlack Eyed Peas' "Hey Mama".A local television host named Happy Chapman, who is also a judge, is impressed with Odie's performance, and offers Jon a television deal for Odie, but Jon declines.

When Garfield returns home, fed up with Odie's presence in his life, he hits a ball, causing a chain reaction that leaves the house in disarray. When Jon discovers this, he forces Garfield to sleep outside for the night. When Odie comes out to comfort Garfield, he gets inside and locks Odie out. Nermal and Arlene witness this as Odie runs away but is then picked up by an elderly woman named Mrs. Baker. Jon and Liz search for Odie while Garfield's friends express their disappointment with him regarding his treatment of Odie.

Meanwhile, Happy Chapman, revealed to be allergic to cats, is envious of his news reporter brother, Walter, and dreams to perform onGood Day New York.Chapman and his assistant Wendell find a notice Mrs. Baker created of Odie and, recognizing the lucrative possibilities, claim Odie as Happy's own. When Garfield sees Odie on television and hears Chapman announce he and Odie are going to New York City, Garfield sets out to rescue Odie. Jon discovers Garfield is also missing, so he asks Liz to help search for him and Odie. Garfield gets into the broadcast tower via the air vents and finds Odie locked in a cage, but Chapman enters and secures a shock collar to Odie, which, when activated, releases an electric shock that forces Odie to perform tricks.

Chapman heads for the train station with Garfield in hot pursuit. However, an animal control officer intercepts Garfield, mistaking him as a stray. Meanwhile, Mrs. Baker tells Jon that Chapman took Odie, making him believe Garfield was taken by Chapman as well and then learn Chapman is leaving for the train station. Concurrently, Chapman's abandoned feline star Persnikitty, who dubs himselfSir Roland,along with the other animals Garfield finally understands that his friends were right cause he was jealous of him and realizes how Jon truly cares for Odie. So he tells Sir Roland that he is rescuing Odie from Happy Chapman. They release Garfield from the pound. Chapman boards a New York-bound train, with Odie in the luggage car. After arriving just to see the train depart, Garfield sneaks into the train system control room and switches the tracks, leading to an impending multiple train wreck. Garfield hits an emergency stop button which halts all the trains just in time, then returns Chapman's train to the station. Garfield frees Odie and they prepare to leave. However, Chapman chases them and eventually corners the duo in a suitcase area. Chapman threatens Odie with the shock collar, but Garfield's friends from the pound, Louis with his entire rat family, led by Sir Roland, attack Chapman and place the collar on his neck.

Shortly after, Garfield and Odie incapacitate Chapman by activating the collar. Jon and Liz arrive and find Chapman, whom Jon punches in the face for kidnapping his pets. Garfield, Odie, Jon, and Liz reunite and return home, while Chapman is arrested for his supposed involvement with the trains, as well as kidnapping Odie. Back home, Garfield regains his friends' respect as they hail him a hero while Liz and Jon form a relationship.

Cast

Live action

• Breckin MeyerasJon Arbuckle,Garfield and Odie's owner.
• Jennifer Love HewittasDr. Liz Wilson,Garfield's vet, and Jon's love interest.
• Stephen TobolowskyasHappy Chapman,a local television host, and his brother Walter J. Chapman, a TV news journalist who reports on relevant events.
• Evan Arnoldas Wendell, Happy's butler.
• Mark Christopher Lawrenceas Christopher Mello, Happy's co-host.
• Eve Brentas Mrs. Baker, an old woman who rescues Odie.
• Juliette Gogliaas Little Girl, a girl who tries to adopt Persnikitty from Animal Control.
• Evan Helmuthas Steward
• Joe Bays as Raccoon Lodge Member
• Leyna Nguyenas News Reporter (Abby), Walter's co-worker.
• Joe Ochmanas Engineer, a worker at the Telegraph Tower.
• Rufus Giffordas Dog Owner #1

Garfield creatorJim Davisappeared as an uncredited drunken convention attendee, but his role was cut from the final version of the film.

Voice cast

• Bill MurrayasGarfield,Jon's overweight, cynical, lazy and laid-back orange cat.
• Alan CummingasPersnikitty,an irascible cat.
• Nick CannonasLouis,a quick-witted mouse.
• David EigenbergasNermal,Garfield's naïve best friend.
• Brad Garrettas Luca, an aggressiveDoberman Pinscherwho guards the house next door to Garfield.
• Jimmy Kimmelas Spanky (unnamed in the film)
• Debra MessingasArlene,Garfield's love interest.
• Richard Kindas Dad Rat
• Debra Jo Ruppas Mom Rat
• Wyatt Smith, Jordan Kaiser andAlyson Stoneras unnamed kid rats – Kid Rat No. 1, Kid Rat No. 2 and Kid Rat No. 3 respectively

Production

Jim Carreywas considered for the role of Jon Arbuckle.Jennifer GarnerandAngelina Joliewere considered for the role of Liz, but both dropped out with busy schedules.Brad Dourif,Thomas Lennon,andMichael Ironsidewere considered to play Happy Chapman. Ironside was cast, but he dropped out after one day for unknown reasons, and Lennon was busy onReno 911.Jack Nicholsonwas considered for the role of Garfield; he was the only candidate besides Bill Murray.According to Murray's RedditAMA,he was interested in voicing the titular character because he mistook the screenplay writer's name, Joel Cohen, for Joel Coen of theCoen brothers.He accepted the role, briefly skimming through the script.Co-writerAlec Sokolowdisputed Murray's claim in 2014: "He knew it was not Joel Coen well before he met Joel Cohen. It's a funny take. And it kind of defends him against the criticism of making such an overtly commercial film. But, it's complete horse shit."

According toJim Davis,Murray recorded his dialogue in his apartment in New York City and on the set ofThe Life Aquatic with Steve Zissouin Greece.

Principal photographybegan on March 10 and wrapped on June 12, 2003.The animation for Garfield was produced byRhythm & Hues Studios.Visual effects were produced bySW Digital,Pixel Magic andThe Orphanage.

The film's score was composed by Canadian composerChristophe Beck.The soundtrack album was released through Bulletproof Records on October 19, 2004.

Release

Garfield: The Movieon the marquee of a theater in Lakeview, Oregon

Garfield: The Moviewas released in theaters on June 11, 2004, one week beforeGarfield's26th anniversary. During its theatrical run, it was preceded by anIce Ageshort film,Gone Nutty.20th Century Fox Home Entertainmentreleased the film onVHSand DVD on October 19, 2004.The special features include behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes, and theBaha Menmusic video "Holla!" The film was released on a 3-discBlu-rayon October 11, 2011.

Reception

Box office

On its opening weekend, the film debuted on 3,094 theaters and earned $21.7 million. The film grossed $75.3 million in the United States and Canada, and $132.7 million from international markets, accumulating $208 million worldwide.

Critical response

On review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes,14% of 135 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 3.52/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "When the novelty of the CGIGarfieldwears off, what's left is a simplistic kiddie movie. "OnMetacritic,the film has a score of 27 out of 100 based on 31 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".Audiences polled byCinemaScoregave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.

Roger Ebertrated it three out of four stars, saying the film was "charming".Joe LeydonofVarietywrote, "Only very small children still easily impressed by interaction of human actors and CGI quadrupeds will be amused by Garfield."A. O. ScottofThe New York Timeswrote, "That Garfield speaks in the supercilious, world-weary drawl of Bill Murray is some small consolation, as are a few of the animal tricks."

Murray's response

Murray said in an interview withGQthat he was confused when he agreed to play the voice of Garfield for the film.

I thought it would be kind of fun, because doing a voice is challenging, and I'd never done that. Plus, I looked at the script, and it said, "So-and-so and Joel Coen." And I thought: Christ, well, I love thoseCoens!They're funny. So I sorta read a few pages of it and thought, Yeah, I'd like to do that.

Murray continued:

So they went off and shot the movie, and I forgot all about it. Finally, I went out to L.A. to record my lines. And usually when you're looping a movie, if it takes two days, that's a lot. I don't know if I should even tell this story, because it's kind of mean. [beat] What the hell? It's interesting. So I worked all day and kept going, "That's the line? Well, I can't say that." And you sit there and go, What can I say that will make this funny? And make it make sense? And I worked. I was exhausted, soaked with sweat, and the lines got worse and worse. And I said, "Okay, you better show me the whole rest of the movie, so we can see what we're dealing with." So I sat down and watched the whole thing, and I kept saying, "Who the hell cut this thing? Who did this? What the fuck was Coen thinking?" And then they explained it to me: It wasn't written by that Joel Coen.

Murray reprised his role two years later inGarfield: A Tail of Two Kitties,also written by the sameJoel Cohen.

In the 2009 zombie comedy filmZombieland,when Bill Murray (playing himself) is asked if he has any regrets after being accidentally shot by Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), he says, "Garfield,maybe. "

Other media

Sequel

A sequel, titledGarfield: A Tail of Two Kitties,was released on June 16, 2006 in North America.

Animated film

Main article:The Garfield Movie

20th Century Fox allowed their license with Paws, Inc. to expire in 2009.On May 24, 2016, it was announced thatAlcon Entertainmentwould develop a new computer-animatedGarfieldfilm with John Cohen and Steven P. Wegner ready to produceand to be directed byMark Dindal,director ofCats Don't Dance,The Emperor's New GrooveandChicken Little.In August 2019,Viacom,which later merged withCBSto become ViacomCBS (nowParamount Global), acquired the rights to Garfield, leaving the status of the movie for the time uncertain.In a December, 2020 interview withThe Walt Disney Family Museum,Dindal confirmed that the film was still in production.On November 1, 2021, it was announced thatChris Prattwould voice Garfield in the upcoming animated film, and thatSony Pictureswould distribute the film worldwide through theirColumbia Pictureslabel except China.On May 24, 2022,Samuel L. Jacksonwas added to the cast of the film.On August 3, 2022, it was announced that the film will be released on February 16, 2024, but was later delayed to May 24, 2024.

External links

• Garfield: The MovieatIMDb
• Garfield: The Movieat theTCM Movie Database
• Garfield: The MovieatAllMovie
• Garfield: The MovieatBox Office Mojo