VOD Spotlight: The Nut Job

Part of the fun of watching an animated film as an adult is hearing the voices of familiar actors come out of the mouths of, say, colorful fish or toys-come-to-life or, in the case of The Nut Job, various woodland creatures like squirrels, moles and raccoons.

In the film, Surly the Squirrel has finally taken his capers one step too far, causing the animal community’s winter food supply to be destroyed. Surly and his rat friend, Buddy, are exiled from the group and need to figure out how to survive. Fellow squirrels Andie and Grayson are sent by Raccoon to find a new food source for the group, ultimately teaming with Surly and Buddy to attempt a raid on a nut store. But there’s more going on than the animals know, and, as chaos ensues, Surly must rise to the challenge if he wants to be redeemed and welcomed back home.

The Nut Job

Along with recognizing the voices of the animated characters, it’s fun to notice when the artists creating the animated creatures have taken inspiration from the physical characteristics of the actors playing the roles. Below is a list of the most recognizable actors who supplied voices for The Nut Job. When you watch the film, do you recognize the human actors portraying the animal stars?

• Will Arnett, voice of Surly, a purple squirrel. You may recognize him from television shows like Arrested Development and The Millers and he can also be heard in Despicable Me, Ratatouille and The Lego Movie.

• Brendan Fraser, voice of Grayson, a gray squirrel considered the “park hero.” Fraser is best known for roles in The Mummy movies, George of the Jungle and Gods and Monsters.

• Liam Neeson, voice of Raccoon, a con artist and self-proclaimed leader of the animals. This role is a departure from Neeson’s work in films such as Schindler’s List, Taken and Love Actually. Neeson also can be heard in The Lego Movie.

• Katherine Heigl, voice of Andie, a red squirrel. Heigl has been somewhat out of the public eye of late, but she is known for her roles on television’s Grey’s Anatomy and in the film Knocked Up.

• Maya Rudolph, voice of Precious, a pug. Rudolph had lots of practice playing different characters during her time on Saturday Night Live and in films such as Bridesmaids.

• Jeff Dunham, voice of Mole. The standup comedian and actor from shows and films including Blue Collar TV and The Jeff Dunham Show is also a ventriloquist, so relying on his voice to develop a character is not new to him.

The Nut Job is available beginning April 15 on Video On Demand. Check your cable system for availability. 

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