Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, also known as The Rugrats Movie 2: Rugrats in Paris and Rugrats in Paris: The Movie - Rugrats II, is the 2000 sequel to the 1998 film The Rugrats Movie that follows the continuing adventures of the Rugrats. In the story, Chuckie Finster takes the lead character role as he searches to find a new mother. This film was produced by Paramount Pictures, Klasky Csupo and Nickelodeon Movies. It was originally released in selected theaters on November 17, 2000. It was re-aired as a summer movie on Nickelodeon on June 30, 2006. The film was a box-office success, grossing an estimated $103 million worldwide, and received very positive reviews from critics. At the film review website Rotten Tomatoes, the film earned 75% favorability by critics, higher than its predecessor that earned 56%. However, it grossed $40 million less than the first film.
Plot
The movie opens with a parody of the 1972 drama film The Godfather (another film by Paramount) with Angelica playing Marlon Brando's role with the babies calling her the "Bobfather" and her granting the babies' wishes if they do something for her in return. We see Lou and Lulu's wedding then switch to Chuckie Finster who has been without a mother his whole life. After standing alone watching the mothers and children together during a special dance, he wishes for his own mother. After his original mother died beforehand, both he and his father Chas are lonely.
Unexpectedly, Tommy Pickles's father Stu is summoned to the EuroReptarland, a Japanese theme park in Paris, France to fix the malfunctioning Reptar robot he sent the park to use in a live show (EuroReptarland is first mentioned in the TV special "Acorn Nuts and Diapey Butts"). Tommy, Chuckie, Phil & Lil, Angelica, Dil, all of their parents, and Spike the dog (who sneaks on the plane), travel overseas to EuroReptarland. He improves the robots by adding an easy control interface that even a child could operate.
The park's director, Coco LaBouche (Susan Sarandon) is looking to become the new president of her bosses' company (once he resigns) with help from her assistant Jean-Claude (John Lithgow), but her boss, Mr. Yamaguchi tells her the candidate he is looking for must "have the heart of a child". On the spot Coco says that she adores children and is engaged to a man with a child of his own. When she discovers Angelica eavesdropping on the entire conversation, she tells Coco about Chuckie and Chas, with Coco promising her she would get to ride in her own float as a princess in the park's parade. Coco pretends to take a sudden interest in Chas. However, when she attempts to bond with Chuckie, there are little results. The Rugrats meet Kimi, and her Japanese mother Kira, whom Chas takes a mutual liking to. Kira works in the park as one of Coco's assistants and puts aside her feelings for Chas to help Coco win him over, thinking she loves him despite her doubts.
Kira explains the history of Reptar to the children, explaining he was once feared by people but a princess taught them that the dinosaur was just lonely. Chuckie decides the princess would make a perfect mother, but his attempts to meet her (a clockwork version of her atop a "volcano" guarded by ninja security guards and doors with frightening dragon-shaped knobs) fail. A performance of the story is shown at the park's theatre. After Angelica tells Coco that Chuckie wants the Princess for his mommy and plans to give her his favorite stuffed bear as a sign of his love, Coco steals the role of the princess during the show and forcefully hugs Chuckie on stage. Chas, ecstatic that Chuckie approves of Coco as a mother, decides he is going to marry her, much to the shock of Chuckie, Chas' friends, and especially Kira.
On the wedding day, Coco has the Rugrats and Angelica locked in a warehouse, where the Reptar robot is, with Jean-Claude to guard them and prevent them from ruining the wedding. Ashamed, Angelica reveals Coco's plot to the babies. Tired of being afraid, Chuckie decides he is going to crash his father's wedding with help from Tommy and the others. Coco tells Kira to destroy Chuckie's bear and certifies Kira's belief that she does not love Chas or Chuckie. She is determined to stop Coco from marrying Chas but she is thrown out of the wedding car. Using Stu's Reptar robot, the Rugrats stomp their way out of the park and across Paris to Notre Dame where the wedding is taking place. Angelica and Kimi both hitch a ride on the robot. However, the babies are pursued by Jean-Claude who drives a robot of Reptar's arch nemesis, Robosnail.
Pandemonium breaks out as the babies make their way to the cathedral, including being swung around in midair by Robosnail and rocketing up the side of the Eiffel Tower. Eventually, Chuckie takes on Robosnail and tosses him into the Seine. Chas, unaware of Coco's plot and kidnapping, stalls for time for Chuckie to arrive by reading his—and what he believes to be Coco's—favorite poem about the joy of children. Just as Chas is about to reluctantly marry a steaming Coco, Chuckie bursts into the church and screams out "NO!" - his very first word which Chas is overjoyed to hear. Jean-Claude appears and accidentally reveals that Coco was keeping the babies locked away and Angelica reveals Coco's plot to everyone, including Mr. Yamaguchi, who then fires Coco. Chas, who now sees the woman who Coco really is, calls off the wedding. While storming out of the church and after insulting the babies, Angelica splits Coco's dress ("Nobody messes with my dumb babies 'cept me!"), revealing the back of her underwear and she runs away in humiliation, as tourists snap photos of her. Jean-Claude is chased off by Spike and his girlfriend Fifi, whom he met on the street. Kira finally arrives at the church and returns Chuckie's bear. Chas and Kira reveal their feelings for each other and upon returning to America sometime later, they get married. Chuckie finally has a mother and a sister (Kimi), completing one of the franchise's longest-running plotlines.
Guest stars
Soundtrack
A soundtrack for the film was released on November 7, 2000 from Maverick Records. It also contains an enhanced part.
Track listing
- "My Getaway" - Tionne Tenese Watkins - 03:50
- "You Don't Stand a Chance" - Amanda - 03:43
- "Life Is a Party" - Aaron Carter - 03:26
- "Who Let the Dogs Out" - Baha Men - 03:18
- "Hits from the Bong" - Cypress Hill - 02:42
- "Final Heartbreak" - Jessica Simpson - 03:41
- "When You Love" - Sinéad O'Connor - 05:18
- "I'm Telling You This" - No Authority - 04:08
- "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" - Geri Halliwell - 03:03
- "Chuckie Chan" (Martial Arts Expert of Reptarland) - Isaac Hayes - 04:19
- "L'Histoire d'une fée, c'est..." - Mylene Farmer - 05:12
- "I Want a Mom That Will Last Forever" - Cyndi Lauper - 03:47
- "Excuse My French" - 2Be3 - 03:02
- "Bad Girls" - Angelica & The Sumos - 04:05
14. "Big Bad Snail" Rey & The Rugrats 5:13
Reception
The film was a box office success: it grossed $103,291,131 worldwide out of its' $30 million budget, tripling the budget in box office results. It opened at #2 behind How the Grinch Stole Christmas, to $22,718,184 for an average of $7,743 from 2,934 venues. Unlike the first film, which received mixed reviews, this film received a positive critical reception.[citation needed]
Enhanced content
- Zumo Motion game
- Pictures and descriptions of Rugrats characters
- Links to websites and videos of Amanda and No Authority
References
External links
