My wife & I went to see this film upon the recommendation of our 6 year old who happily saw for a second time. Fantastic music, good old animation, perilous moments, grand scenes, and fine characters and development. Loved it. Go.
This is not for newbies, or young folk. It is sobering, cynical, and mostly depressing if you look at it superficially. The final message, unfortunately conveyed subtlely at the end is one of hope for families. If you're thrilled with being single all your life, you won't get it.
While I like Wes Anderson's work, original stop motion animation, and animation in general, this was definitely NOT a PG movie. There was much repetitive violence constantly being excused as "we are wild animals". My almost 6 year-old said he wasn't scared but he was, and beyond the normal peril expected in most movies. Most of the humor was beyond him. And I love animation, but beyond its quaintness, I think stop motion animation needs to be relegated to the ages. It was fun to listen to George Clooney and talented cast do their voice parts and their part in this so-so film will not diminish my opinion of their acting. Sorry but no go for this film.
Meryl Streep is, as usual, a phenomenal actress with great nuance. She obviously enjoys what she does. Amy Adams, of whom I know nothing, is wonderful. The two parallel stories are sweet, sentimental, and carry a great message of setting your own course in life and of love. Tucci & Messina are great in their supporting roles. I immediately went home to dig out my own copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking to make the beef burgundy! The movie also made the obvious point that fine food and friends make for life-long multisensory memories. Period.