I finally got around to seeing The Peanuts Movie, and I'm glad I did. It was charming and emotional and nostalgic in all the best ways. They really nailed all the characters and gave each one just enough screen time (though Linus probably could've used more).
It's been a long time since I've seen a move that gets remarkably better as it goes on. By the third act, you are invested in Charlie Brown's dilemmas, and it is so satisfying to see him score a win. Snoopy's Red Baron sequences are intercut at great moments to parallel the Charlie Brown story. They don't distract from it, and the find a way to draw you in and get you emotionally invested in them as well.
There's just enough Vince Guaraldi music to satisfy classic Peanuts fans like me and just enough modern music to hook a younger generation.
The comedy was that great blend of slap-stick humor for young ones and existential heartache for adults. It has plenty of references to the old jokes, but plenty of new owns to let it stand on its own.
One thing I've always respected about Peanuts is its ability to create drama without any real antagonist. Sure Lucy can be a little intense sometimes, but she's never "the bad guy." I normally don't like stories without an antagonist, but, for some reasons, Peanuts has the charm and existential insight to pull it off. Life itself is hard enough for Charlie Brown; he doesn't need some villain actively working against him to give him challenges. Charlie Brown represents many of the best qualities in all of us, and that's what draws us back, what makes us cheer for him again and again, no matter how many times Lucy pulls that football away. Charlie Brown keeps trying, and, if he can keep his outlook positive, so can we.
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