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Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip

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Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip
Theatrical release poster
Directed byWalt Becker
Written by
Based on
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyPeter Lyons Collister
Edited byRyan Folsey
Music byMark Mothersbaugh
Production
companies
Distributed by20th Century Fox
Release date
  • December 18, 2015 (2015-12-18)
Running time
92 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$90 million[2]
Box office$234.8 million[3]

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip is a 2015 American live-action/animated jukebox musical comedy film directed by Walt Becker and written by Randi Mayem Singer and Adam Sztykiel. It is based on the characters Alvin and the Chipmunks created by Ross Bagdasarian Sr. and the Chipettes created by Janice Karman.[4][5] It is the fourth and final installment in the live-action Alvin and the Chipmunks film series and the sequel to Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011). The ensemble cast includes Jason Lee, Tony Hale, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Josh Green. Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler and Jesse McCartney all reprise their roles as the Chipmunks, while Kaley Cuoco, Anna Faris and Christina Applegate voices the Chipettes. Cuoco replaced Amy Poehler as the voice of Eleanor in the film. The plot centers on the Chipmunks (Alvin, Simon, and Theodore) as they head to Miami after believing that Dave Seville will propose to his girlfriend Samantha, who has a son who bullies the Chipmunks.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip was released in the United States on December 18, 2015, by 20th Century Fox.[6] Like its predecessors, the film received generally negative reviews from critics, and grossed $234.8 million worldwide against a $90 million budget, making it the lowest-grossing entry in the series.

Plot

[edit]

Alvin, Simon, and Theodore, along with the Chipettes – Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor – have moved to a new house and set up a surprise birthday bash for Dave Seville that also serves as a good luck party for the Chipettes, who are scheduled to be guest judges on American Idol. Alvin invites and hires many people and celebrities, much to Simon's dismay. Though dissatisfied, Dave agrees to take them mini-golfing, where the Chipmunks meet Samantha, who Dave has been dating for the past months. While the Chipmunks like Samantha, her son Miles physically torments the trio. Later, the Chipmunks find an engagement ring in a bag Dave brought home and believe that he is going to propose to Samantha. Realizing in horror that Dave and Samantha getting married would make Miles their stepbrother, they unsuccessfully try to steal the ring.

Dave has to produce a record for rising pop artist Ashley Grey in Miami, and decides to bring Samantha along with him. The Chipmunks and Miles are staying together, but they agree to head to Miami to sabotage the supposed marriage proposal. The Chipmunks drug three squirrels and dress them up in their clothes from stuffed toys to fool their next door neighbor Ms. Price, who was asked to peek in on them. They travel on a plane, but Theodore lets out a monkey, which then lets out several animals, leading to an emergency landing in Austin, Texas, and frustrates unscrupulous Air Marshal James Suggs, who hates the Chipmunks because of having been dumped by his girlfriend on Christmas for being their biggest fan at the time, effectively eliminating his shot of becoming an FBI agent. Suggs puts the Chipmunks on the No-Fly List as revenge.

The Chipmunks perform at a bar, but are caught by Suggs. Alvin starts a bar fight so they can escape. They jump into a cab, but the driver ejects them for not having money. Resting against an old tree, Miles reveals that his father left him when he was young, causing the four to bond and see each other differently. They raise money busking to take a bus to New Orleans and perform at a Mardi Gras parade, which draws Dave's attention as it is broadcast on live television. The parade allows the Chipmunks to cause Suggs, who has followed them, to get drunk on moonshine. Dave and Samantha find Miles and the Chipmunks at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and punish them for sneaking out and not responding to numerous missed calls and texts from Dave. With the Chipmunks now on the No-Fly List, Dave has to drive them.

When they arrive in Miami, Alvin reveals that he stole the ring from the container, thus sabotaging the proposal. However, since Miles has grown to care about the Chipmunks during their trip, he is upset that they are celebrating over this. Crossing the street with his headphones on, he is nearly hit by a car, but the Chipmunks swing Theodore, pushing Miles out of the way, saving his life, making Theodore get hit instead, but he wakes up a moment later. They agree to give the ring back.

During the dinner, Suggs catches up with the Chipmunks, but they trap him in an elevator. Miles and the Chipmunks return the ring to Dave, saying that they accept Samantha and Miles into the family, but Dave reveals the ring belonged to his friend Barry, who was proposing to his girlfriend, Alice. As one final apology, they try making it up to Dave by singing a new song to him at the launch party with the help of the Chipettes, Ashley and Miles. They also return the ring to Barry, who reattempts his proposal to Alice, and this time, Alice accepts. Having forgiven them, Dave officially adopts the Chipmunks as his sons, but finds about the squirrels which have destroyed the house, much to his anger. Meanwhile, Suggs is freed from the elevator and decides to relax by the pool, only for security guards to carry him out as he's not a hotel guest.

Cast

[edit]
(L to R) Jason Lee (pictured in 2015), Kimberly Williams-Paisley (2008), and Tony Hale (2024)
  • Jason Lee as David "Dave" Seville, a former songwriter turned music producer and the overprotective adoptive father of the Chipmunks and the Chipettes.
  • Kimberly Williams-Paisley as Samantha, Dave's girlfriend and the woman he's been dating for the past few months[7]
  • Tony Hale as Agent James Suggs, an unscrupulous air marshal who personally despises the Chipmunks because his former love for them ruined a former relationship between him and his girlfriend, and as a result, he puts them on the No Fly List for revenge.[8][9]
  • Josh Green as Miles, Samantha's son who was initially mean to the Chipmunks, but later becomes their friend and is Ashley's love interest.[10]
  • Justin Long as Alvin Seville, a brave and musical but mischievous chipmunk who is the leader of the Chipmunks.[7]
  • Matthew Gray Gubler as Simon Seville, an intelligent chipmunk who is the tallest of the three and a member of the Chipmunks.[7]
  • Jesse McCartney as Theodore Seville, a timid chipmunk who is the smallest of the three and a member of the Chipmunks.[7]
  • Kaley Cuoco as Eleanor, a female chipmunk who is the smallest of the three, and the member of the Chipettes. (Cuoco replaces Amy Poehler as the voice of Eleanor).[11]
    • Janice Karman provides Eleanor's singing voice.
  • Anna Faris as Jeanette, a female chipmunk who is the tallest of the three, and the member of the Chipettes.[11]
    • Janice Karman provides Jeanette's singing voice.
  • Christina Applegate as Brittany, a fearless, determined, and independent chipmunk who is the leader of the Chipettes and is occasionally arguing with Alvin.[11]
    • Janice Karman provides Brittany's singing voice.
  • Bella Thorne as Ashley Grey, a pop singer whom Dave has to produce a record to in Miami.[12]
  • Uzo Aduba as TSA Officer at the LAX airport who checks over Miles when he brings Alvin in his backpack and Simon in his clothes.
  • Flula Borg as Man Behind the Mask
  • Retta as The Event Planner, a woman who Alvin hires to deal with Dave's birthday party at the beginning of the film.
  • Eddie Steeples as Barry, Dave's friend who Dave had bought a ring for. Alvin, Simon, Theodore, and Miles accidentally sabotages his proposal to his girlfriend, Alice.

Additionally, Maxie McClintock appears as Alice, Mark Jeffrey Miller appears as Cab Driver, Redfoo (cameo) appears as himself,[13] John Waters (cameo) appears as John,[14][15] Jennifer Coolidge (cameo) appears as Ms. Price,[15] Laura Marano (cameo) appears as Hotel Babysitter,[16] and Zeeko Zaki appears as Paparazzo.

Production

[edit]
Bus promoting the film in London

In June 2013, 20th Century Fox announced that a fourth installment, Alvin and the Chipmunks 4, would be released on December 11, 2015.[17] In August 2014, Randi Mayem Singer signed on to write the fourth installment.[18] On December 18, 2014, it was announced that Walt Becker signed on to direct and that the film would be released on December 23, 2015. Unlike the previous films, where the Chipmunks and the Chipettes were animated by Rhythm & Hues Studios, in this film, they were animated by Wētā FX, due to Rhythm & Hues shutting down in 2013. The movie was officially released on December 18, 2015. It was also announced that the film would be titled Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip.[19] In February 2015, Tony Hale joined the cast.[8] On March 10, 2015, Kimberly Williams-Paisley joined the cast.[7] On March 23, 2015, it was confirmed that Bella Thorne had joined the cast.[12] Principal photography began on March 16, 2015, and ended on May 20, 2015.[20][21]

Music

[edit]

Mark Mothersbaugh, who previously scored Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, returned to score The Road Chip.[22]

Home media

[edit]

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip was released on DVD and Blu-ray on March 15, 2016.[6]

Soundtrack

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Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Soundtrack album by
The Chipmunks and The Chipettes ft. RedFoo, Sheppard & The Score
ReleasedDecember 11, 2015
GenrePop, rock, hip hop, dance
Length29:55
LabelRepublic
ProducerRoss Bagdasarian Jr., Janice Karman, Alana Da Fonseca
The Chipmunks and The Chipettes ft. RedFoo, Sheppard & The Score chronology
We're the Chipmunks (Music From the TV Show)
(2015) 		Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
(2015) 		Nuts 2 U
(2017)

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the licensed soundtrack based on the film. It was released on December 11, 2015, by Republic Records.[23]

No.TitleWriter(s)Performing artist(s)Length
1."Juicy Wiggle (Munk Remix)"Madeleine St. JohnRedfoo (featuring The Chipmunks)3:50
2."Conga"Enrique E. GarciaThe Chipmunks3:16
3."Oh My Love"Eddie Anthony, Edan DoverThe Score3:37
4."South Side"Thomas Rhett, Jesse Frasure, Chris StapletonThe Chipmunks2:27
5."Iko Iko"James Crawford, Barbara Hawkins, Rosa Hawkins, Joan JohnsonThe Chipmunks2:00
6."Uptown Funk"Jeff Bhasker, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson, Nicholas Williams, Devon Gallaspy, Lonnie Simmons, The Gap Band, Rudolph TaylorThe Chipmunks4:30
7."Geronimo"Jay Bovino, Amy Sheppard, George SheppardSheppard3:37
8."Turn Down for What"DJ Snake, Lil JonThe Chipmunks3:34
9."Home"Alana Da Fonseca, Jordan Yaeger, Jason Gleed, Bryan SpytzerThe Chipmunks and the Chipettes3:04
Total length:31:39

Reception

[edit]

Box office

[edit]

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip has grossed $85,886,987 in North America and $148,911,649 in other territories for a worldwide total of $234,798,636 against a budget of $90 million.[3]

In the United States and Canada, The Road Chip was released on December 18, 2015, across 3,653 theaters.[24] The film grossed $4,126,717 on its first day and $14,287,159 in its opening weekend, finishing second at the box office behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($247,966,675).[3]

Critical response

[edit]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 15% based on 67 reviews and an average rating of 3.42/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "In some respects, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip is a marginal improvement over prior installments, although this in no way qualifies as a recommendation."[6] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 33 out of 100 based on 21 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[25] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.[26]

Accolades

[edit]
List of awards and nominations
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
British Academy Children's Awards November 20, 2016 BAFTA Kids' Vote Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip Nominated [27][28]
Golden Raspberry Awards February 27, 2016 Worst Supporting Actor Jason Lee Nominated [29]
Worst Supporting Actress Kaley Cuoco Won
Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip Nominated
Kids' Choice Awards March 12, 2016 Favorite Animated Movie Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip Nominated [30]
Favorite Voice From an Animated Movie Justin Long Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD CHIP (U)". British Board of Film Classification. January 5, 2016. Archived from the original on February 20, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  2. ^ "'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Rockets to Record $57 Million in Thursday Previews". The Wrap. December 18, 2015. Archived from the original on December 19, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015)". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. Archived from the original on May 17, 2016. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
  4. ^ Petski, Denise (July 7, 2015). "'Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Road Chip' Trailer: Alvin, Simon & Theodore Hit The Road For NYC". Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  5. ^ "Alvin and the Chipmunks". Facebook. Archived from the original on November 4, 2015. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  6. ^ a b c "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c d e Pedersen, Erik (March 10, 2015). "Kimberly Williams-Paisley Cast In 'Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Road Chip'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  8. ^ a b Hipes, Patrick (February 11, 2015). "John Ortiz Cast In 'Steve Jobs' Movie". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 16, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  9. ^ "'Alvin and the Chipmunks' road-trip sequel takes a familiar route". Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
  10. ^ "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip". Archived from the original on September 20, 2019. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  11. ^ a b c "Alvin and the Chipmunks - About". Facebook. Archived from the original on November 4, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  12. ^ a b Pedersen, Erik (March 23, 2015). "Bella Thorne Joins 'Chipmunks 4′; Jon Bernthal, Richard Armitage in 'Pilgrimage'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  13. ^ "Redfoo Juicy Orange Studded Flat Top Glasses from Alvin". The Take. February 11, 2015. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  14. ^ "John Waters has a cameo in latest 'Alvin and the Chipmunks' movie". Chris Kaltenbach. The Baltimore Sun. December 17, 2015. Archived from the original on June 29, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
  15. ^ a b "ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: ROAD CHIP - The Review". Tom Stockman. We Are Movie Geeks. December 17, 2015. Archived from the original on August 18, 2020. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
  16. ^ "Laura Marano Making Surprise Appearance in New 'Alvin & the Chipmunks'". Fanlala.com. December 17, 2015. Archived from the original on March 23, 2017. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  17. ^ Lussier, Germain (June 11, 2013). "Fox Dates 'Frankenstein,' 'Alvin and the Chipmunks 4′ and Animated Films Through 2018". SlashFilm. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  18. ^ Douglas, Edward (August 22, 2014). "Mrs. Doubtfire Writer Signs Onto Alvin and the Chipmunks 4". ComingSoon.net. Archived from the original on August 24, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  19. ^ Kit, Borys (December 18, 2014). "'Alvin and the Chipmunks 4' Finds a Director (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 25, 2015. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  20. ^ Diane, Megan. "'Alvin and the Chipmunks: Road Chip' Open Casting Call in Atlanta". Projectcasting.com. Archived from the original on March 28, 2015. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  21. ^ "On the Set for 5/25/15: Chris Pratt Starts on The Magnificent Seven, Brad Pitt and Christian Bale Wrap 'The Big Short'". Ssninsider.com. Archived from the original on February 10, 2016. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
  22. ^ "Mark Mothersbaugh Scoring 'Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip'". Film Music Reporter. November 6, 2015. Archived from the original on November 9, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  23. ^ "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Various Artists on iTunes". Itunes.apple.com. December 11, 2015. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
  24. ^ Anthony D'Alessandro, Nancy Tartaglione (December 14, 2015). "Planet Earth Braces For 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' To Make Intergalactic B.O. History". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 15, 2015. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  25. ^ "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  26. ^ Anita Busch (December 21, 2015). "'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Box Office: Record $250 Million Bow Likely". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 22, 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  27. ^ Foster, Elizabeth (October 19, 2016). "Horrible Histories, TrueTube lead BAFTA Children's noms". Kidscreen. Archived from the original on October 24, 2016. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  28. ^ "2016 Children's BAFTA Kids' Vote - Film". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. November 21, 2016. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  29. ^ "'Fifty Shades of Grey' Tops Razzie Awards". CNN.com. February 28, 2016. Archived from the original on February 20, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  30. ^ "Kids' Choice Awards 2016: The Complete Winners List". Hollywood Reporter. March 12, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
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