Alternatively you can wallow in the film's toothsome charms as the last gasp of the family - friendly studio musical before the climate changed and the genre went in darker directions. (theguardian.com)
The main character and main plot points were refreshingly original and the film went darker directions than we usually see from a film like this. (firstshowing.net)
Steve Carell and Kristen Wiig were tasked with introducing the category of Best Animated Film, and in a moment where most presenters would have read 15 seconds of lame patter and tossed to clips of the nominees, the duo took things in a hilariously dark direction. (relevantmagazine.com)