Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (originally Alvin and the Chipmunks 4) is a 2015 American live action/computer animated family musical comedy film directed by Walt Becker and written by Randi Mayem Singer and Adam Sztykiel.[4][5] The fourth installment in the live-action franchise, it stars Jason Lee, Tony Hale, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Josh Green, and Bella Thorne, with the voices of Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney, Kaley Cuoco (replacing Amy Poehler), Anna Faris and Christina Applegate.

Alvin and the Chipmunks:
The Road Chip
Theatrical release poster
Directed byWalt Becker
Produced by
Written by
Based on
Starring
Music byMark Mothersbaugh
CinematographyPeter Lyons Collister
Edited byRyan Folsey
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 million[3]

The film was released on December 18, 2015, by 20th Century Fox.[6] The film grossed $234 million worldwide against a $90 million budget and received generally negative reviews from critics.

Plot

Four years after the events of the third film, Alvin, Simon, and Theodore (Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler and Jesse McCartney), along with the Chipettes – Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor (Christina Applegate, Anna Faris and Kaley Cuoco) – set up a surprise birthday bash for Dave (Jason Lee) that also serves as a good-luck and going-away party for the Chipettes, who are scheduled to be guest judges on American Idol. Alvin invites and hires many people and celebrities to the dismay of Simon before Dave returns home in dissatisfaction. Nevertheless, Dave agrees to take them to mini-golf, and meet Samantha Kimberly Williams-Paisley), the woman he has been dating for the past few months. While the Chipmunks like Samantha, her son Miles (Josh Green) is a bully who physically abuses 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 step-brother, they try to steal the ring, but are unsuccessful.

Dave has to produce a record for rising pop artist Ashley Grey (Bella Thorne) 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 proposal. The Chipmunks drug three squirrels and dress them up in their clothes to fool their hard-of-seeing neighbor Ms. Price, who was asked to look after them. The Chipmunks travel on a plane, but Theodore lets out a monkey, which then lets out several animals which cause an emergency landing and bring the ire of unscrupulous Air Marshal James Suggs (Tony Hale), who reveals to have a grudge against the Chipmunks because his girlfriend dumped him for being so into them at the time, effectively eliminating his shot of becoming an FBI agent. As revenge on them, he puts them on the No Fly List (except for Miles).

The Chipmunks perform at a bar, but are caught by Suggs. However, a bar fight occurs and the Chipmunks escape. They jump into a taxi cab sitting outside. After the cab driver learns that they cannot pay him, he kicks the four out of the cab. The Chipmunks and Miles rest at an old tree, and he reveals that his father left him when he was five years old, causing the four to bond and see each other in different lights. They raise money to take a bus to New Orleans, and sing "Uptown Funk" at the Mardi Gras parade, which gets the attention of Dave when it is broadcast on live television and allows for the Chipmunks to cause Suggs, who has followed them, to get drunk on moonshine.

Dave and Samantha meet Miles and the Chipmunks at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and ground them for what they did. Because the Chipmunks are now on the No Fly List, Dave has to drive the boys. Dave is very disappointed in them. When they arrive in Miami, Alvin reveals that he stole the ring from the container, thus ruining the proposal. However, Miles had bonded with the Chipmunks during their trip and was upset that they were celebrating over this, thinking they just didn’t want to have him around. He crosses the street with his headphones on and is almost hit by a car, but the Chipmunks swing Theodore and push Miles out of the way, saving his life. 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 they accept Samantha and Miles into the family, but Dave reveals he never intended to propose to Samantha for the time being, and the ring belonged to his friend Barry, who was proposing to his girlfriend, Alice, who is disgusted to find a breath mint inside the container, which Alvin had placed there as a replacement for the ring. Dave is very disappointed in the Chipmunks, so they try to make it up to him 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 (while also apologizing for going overboard with his no music policy which was their punishment), Dave returns to Los Angeles with the Chipmunks and officially adopts them as his sons, Suggs escapes the elevator and decides to relax by the pool, only for two security guards to carry him out of the hotel.

Cast
  • 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]
    • Janice Karman provides Theodore's and the Chipettes' singing voice.
  • Jason Lee as David "Dave" Seville, a struggling songwriter and the adoptive father of the Chipmunks and the Chipettes.[7]
  • Tony Hale as Agent James Suggs, the unscrupulous air marshal who shows cruelty to the Chipmunks as hates them because they 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]
  • Kimberly Williams-Paisley as Samantha, Dave's girlfriend and the woman he's been dating for the past few months.[7]
  • Josh Green as Miles, Samantha's son who was initially mean to the Chipmunks, but later becomes their friend and probably has a one-sided love for Ashley

[10]

Production

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. 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.[11] Principal photography began on March 16, 2015, and ended on May 20, 2015.[20][21]

Music

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

Home media

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

Soundtrack
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, 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:29:55

Reception

Box office

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

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
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
  1. "ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD CHIP (U)". British Board of Film Classification. January 5, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  2. "'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Rockets to Record $57 Million in Thursday Previews". The Wrap. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  3. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015)". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
  4. Petski, Denise. "'Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Road Chip' Trailer: Alvin, Simon & Theodore Hit The Road For NYC". Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  5. "Alvin and the Chipmunks". Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  6. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  7. Pedersen, Erik (March 10, 2015). "Kimberly Williams-Paisley Cast In 'Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Road Chip'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  8. Hipes, Patrick (February 11, 2015). "John Ortiz Cast In 'Steve Jobs' Movie". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  9. "'Alvin and the Chipmunks' road-trip sequel takes a familiar route". Retrieved December 18, 2015.
  10. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip". Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  11. Pedersen, Erik (March 23, 2015). "Bella Thorne Joins 'Chipmunks 4′; Jon Bernthal, Richard Armitage in 'Pilgrimage'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  12. "Alvin and the Chipmunks - About". Facebook. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  13. "Redfoo Juicy Orange Studded Flat Top Glasses from Alvin". The Take. February 11, 2015. 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. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
  15. "ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: ROAD CHIP - The Review". Tom Stockman. We Are Movie Geeks. December 17, 2015. 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. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  18. Douglas, Edward (August 22, 2014). "Mrs. Doubtfire Writer Signs Onto Alvin and the Chipmunks 4". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  19. Kit, Borys (December 18, 2014). "'Alvin and the Chipmunks 4' Finds a Director (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  20. Diane, Megan. "'Alvin and the Chipmunks: Road Chip' Open Casting Call in Atlanta". Projectcasting.com. 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. Film Music Reporter. November 6, 2015.
  23. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Various Artists on iTunes". Itunes.apple.com. December 11, 2015. 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. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  25. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  26. Anita Busch (December 21, 2015). "'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Box Office: Record $250 Million Bow Likely". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  27. Foster, Elizabeth (October 19, 2016). "Horrible Histories, TrueTube lead BAFTA Children's noms". Kidscreen. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  28. "2016 Children's BAFTA Kids' Vote - Film". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. November 21, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  29. "'Fifty Shades of Grey' Tops Razzie Awards". CNN.com. February 28, 2016. 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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