The Nut Job is a 2014 3D computer animated heist comedy film directed by Peter Lepeniotis. It is written by Lorne Cameron and Peter Lepeniotis, the film stars Will Arnett, Robert Tinkler, Brendan Fraser, Gabriel Iglesias, Jeff Dunham, Stephen Lang, Sarah Gadon, Maya Rudolph, James Rankin, Liam Neeson, and Katherine Heigl. The film is loosely inspired by and based on the 2005 short animated film "Surly Squirrel" created by Lepeniotis. It was released on January 17, 2014 by Open Road Films, Based on the $43 million budget (which the budget is the most expensive animated film co-produced by South Korea), the film grossed $120.9 million worldwide at the box office, making it a financial success. However, it was received negative reviews from film critics. Stating a launch of multimedia franchise, the sequel named The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature was released on 2017.
Plot[]
In October 1959 of the fictional town of Oakton City, a squirrel named Surly and his mute rat partner Buddy reside in Liberty Park where their thieving reputation has made them outcasts. A group of urban animals led by Raccoon and his cardinal assistant are running low on food for winter. Compassionate squirrel, Andie, and glory hogging squirrel, Grayson, compete with Surly and Buddy to scavenge from a nut cart run by Lucky and Fingers who are casing a bank. The squirrels' efforts inadvertently end with the cart's propane tank exploding in the park after its cord was bitten by Fingers' pug Precious. The runaway cart ends up destroying the animals' food supply, resulting in Surly's banishment from the park.
In the city, Surly and Buddy find Maury's Nut Shop. Adjacent to the bank, it is a criminal hideout used by Lucky, Fingers, their boss who was recently released from jail Percy "King" Dimpleweed, and Knuckles, who plan to break through the wall and replace the bank's cash with nuts. King's girlfriend Lana believes that King has gone straight after his release from prison and the nut store is legitimate.
Raccoon sends Andie and Grayson to the city to find food, but they get separated when a street rat approaches them. Andie recovers Fingers' dog whistle, which Knuckles threw out and Surly had used against Precious, and threatens to dispose of it if Surly does not share the nuts he is going to take. Surly accepts and unwittingly befriends Precious after threatening her with the whistle. Andie informs the park community of the plan. Raccoon reluctantly goes with the plan (though planning to deny Surly his share) and assigns Mole and the Bruisers to go with her. Surly confronts, interrogates, and eventually learns from Mole that Raccoon's policy is to control the food supply in order to remain as the park community's leader, and is planning on sabotaging the heist to do so. When Andie does not believe him, Surly storms off after Grayson reunites with them. While collecting the nuts, Surly is captured by King, but he gets freed by Lana since he doesn't have the whistle anymore and she finds out that King hasn't changed his criminal ways. She then leaves King.
After fending off street rats who work for Raccoon, Surly and Grayson chase the criminal gang's getaway truck, which carries Raccoon and the other animals. Surly fights off Cardinal & tosses him straight into a fancy cat show, and Mole defects from Raccoon and reveals the truth to the animals, resulting in Raccoon being voted out of the park community. King and Knuckles use the dynamite inside the empty truck to blow up a police barricade at a dam, but the police shoots the tire on the truck that falls from the dam. It explodes after Surly gets himself and Andie off it, and they fall into the river below. Surly makes it to a log, but finds out that Raccoon, King, and Knuckles survived the explosion. Raccoon tries to kill Surly, but the nuts' weight begins to break the log. The animals arrive to rescue Surly, but Surly, deciding to be selfless in order to protect his friends, lets himself fall into the waterfall with Raccoon. Now seeing the good side of Surly, the park community mourns him.
The nuts make their way to Liberty Park where King and his associates are arrested as Lana breaks up with King. Andie and Buddy are still mourning over Surly, and when Precious learns what happened, she has Buddy come look at an unconscious Surly, who wakes up and hugs Buddy. Afterward, Precious leaves to meet Lana, who plans to run Maury's Nut Shop. Finding Surly alive, Andie embraces him and suggests to tell the other animals of his heroism. However, Surly declines, yet gains a willingness to work with others, and goes into the city with Buddy, allowing Grayson to take credit for the nuts making it to the park.
In a post-credit scene, Raccoon and Cardinal are revealed to still be alive and are plotting revenge, as they are stuck on a buoy in the ocean, surrounded by hungry sharks circling them.
Cast[]
- Will Arnett as Surly
- Robert Tinkler as Buddy and Redline
- Brendan Fraser as Grayson
- Gabriel Iglesias as Johnny
- Liam Neeson as Raccoon
- Katherine Heigl as Andie
- Jeff Dunham as Mole
- Stephen Lang as King
- Sarah Gadon as Lana
- Maya Rudolph as Precious
- Annick Obonsawin as Jamie
- Scott Yaphe as Lucky
- James Rankin as Fingers
- Park Jae-sang as himself (in appears on end credits)
Production[]
On January 17, 2011, it was announced that Lorne Cameron would be writing the screenplay for the film along with Lepeniotis. On November 15, 2012, it was announced that Katherine Heigl, Will Arnett and Brendan Fraser would be joining the cast of the film. On March 1, 2013, it was announced that Liam Neeson would be joining the cast of the film. On December 19, 2013, it was announced South Korean entertainer, PSY, would make a cameo appearance as himself during the film's ending credits, which will also feature his hit song "Gangnam Style."
Release[]
The film was released in the united States on September 27, 2013, and distributed by Open Road Films. The first teaser trailer for the film was released on September 27, 2013. International distribution was handled by The Weinstein Company.
Home media[]
The Nut Job Blu-ray 3D cover
The film was released on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D by Universal Studios Home Entertainment on April 15, 2014.
Gallery[]
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