Over the Hedge
2006 · Directed by Karey Kirkpatrick, Tim Johnson
Original language: English
- adventure
- animation
- comedy
- family
The story
A scheming raccoon fools a mismatched family of forest creatures into helping him repay a debt of food, by invading the new suburban sprawl that popped up while they were hibernating – and learns a lesson about family himself.
What it’s like
Bright, saturated CGI animation with a suburban palette of manicured green lawns, white picket fences, and glossy kitchen surfaces set against the woodland browns and greens the forest animals come from. The look is clean and cartoonish, with broad physical comedy, crisp daylight, and busy compositions full of tiny suburban details: gnomes, cul-de-sacs, a fence that becomes a barrier to cross. Music leans on bouncy pop and orchestral swells, and the sound design is loud and playful, with slapstick crashes and chatter. The vibe is breezy and mischievous, a warm, low-stakes comedy with a gentle undercurrent of wry satire about consumer excess. It suits a lazy weekend afternoon, a family movie night, or a comfort rewatch when you want something light. Pacing is brisk, and the emotional arc follows a self-serving schemer slowly learning to care about the mismatched group he's been using. Intensity is mild: some slapstick falls, chases, and mild peril with a grizzly bear and a feisty squirrel, but no gore and little real menace. It's for families and anyone wanting something gentle, funny, and easy to sit with.
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