Embarrassingly Funny

Despicable Me 2 is laugh-out-loud funny. And depending on how loudly you laugh, you may embarrass yourself. Perhaps the most charming thing about this sequel to the hilarious Despicable Me is that it’s just so gleefully silly. Somewhere, the non-sexist side of Benny Hill is smiling.

So, how does a reformed supervillain, Gru (Steve Carell), have anything to do in a sequel in which he’s not made the villain? Simple: He’s recruited by an international crime-fighting organization led by Silas Ramsbottom (ha, yeah; he’s played by Steve Coogan and resembles an obese James Fox) and partnered with Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig) to stop someone from using a secret potion to turn the minions (the yellow guys who speak gibberish) into purple people eaters. Plus, Gru’s daughters want him to fall in love. 

In addition to the world’s most vindictive chicken, Despicable Me 2 has great sight gags (including a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it plan to attack Hoboken, NJ), and dialogue that’s absurd in the right way: “Looks like your date was shot with a mild moose tranquilizer,” and, “They never found his body; just a pile of singed chest hair.” Pharrell’s songs light up the soundtrack. You don’t need to have seen the first movie to enjoy this one.