Gena teaches Cheburashka everything he knows: the animal reads the alphabet, plays chess, and even rides a motorcycle with the man. But in the end, he concludes that he does not want to be like people: the youthful enthusiasm contrasts with the grown-up problems, sometimes built on the inability to forgive each other. The attempt to update «Cheburashka» can be considered quite successful: it was an excellent band to watch on January 1st in the family. It is also worth staying for the scene after the credits: it is the main guilty pleasure in recent times within the framework of domestic cinematography.
Where the story begins
Gennady Petrovich is a lonely older man who works as a gardener in an arboretum park. During his breaks, the man plays chess with his friend Valera, whom he constantly beats. His rebellious nature caused many failures: Gena cannot improve relations with his daughter Tanya, and he often conflicts with visitors at work. Weather conditions change everything: a cyclone brings lots of oranges and a fluffy animal with big ears.
Cheburashka first appeared in 1966 on the pages of the book «Crocodile Gena and His Friends» by Eduard Uspensky. The book image is very different from the usual one. In the illustrations by Valery Alpheyevsky, the hero resembles a squirrel with small ears and a big tail. Leonid Shvartsman created the signature look for Roman Kachanov’s Soviet animation. The cute little beast is a national favorite. There are many monuments to the big-eared squirrel both in Russian cities and abroad.
The work paid off: the new «Cheburashka» will be remembered for the adventures of the charming creature, who constantly finds himself in the center of events. Awkwardness becomes the character’s trademark: trying to find a common language with the animals and Gena, the kid often makes mistakes, which creates a situation comedy.
However, suppose the creators should be praised for the image of the ears. In that case, the other decisions will cause controversy: the picture has little in common with the book and cartoons. The main antagonist is the owner of the chocolate factory «Joy of Mine,» Rimma (Elena Yakovleva), who dreams of getting the fluffy creature that her granddaughter Sonyechka likes. The beloved image of Shapoklyak has been changed beyond recognition: the heroine puts on her trademark outfit only in the film’s last minutes, and her favorite rat Lariska never appears.
«Joy of Mine competes with Tanya’s private store in the park. The factory gives the girl an ultimatum: either she joins the big team and shares the recipe for her specialty chocolate, or they open another shop next to hers. The threat is related to the upcoming competition, in which the campaign took only second place last year. Rimma’s plans clash with Tanya’s talent: she needs a quality product to win, not a grandiose presentation.
«Cheburashka» is a movie for the whole family, focusing on conflicts between relatives, often leading to loneliness. Grandpa Gena cannot see his grandson Grisha often because he has had a big fight with his mother. A significant loss in the past caused the man to abandon his family and leave. Still, upon his return, his daughter could not forgive her father. Cheburashka is the only creature capable of rectifying the situation: the fluffy thing gradually becomes a full-fledged relative for the old man, reminding him of the best moments he spent with Tanya.
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