Movie · 2009 · Animation, Comedy, Family · 1h 30m · PG · English
Curator score: 4.5/10 (1M ratings)
Prepare to get served.
Overview
Inventor Flint Lockwood creates a machine that makes clouds rain food, enabling the down-and-out citizens of Chewandswallow to feed themselves. But when the falling food reaches gargantuan proportions, Flint must scramble to avert disaster. Can he regain control of the machine and put an end to the wild weather before the town is destroyed?
Ratings
Curator score: 4.5/10
IMDb: 6.9/10
Letterboxd: 3.40/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 85%
Metacritic: 66
TMDB: 6.7/10
Director
Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Production
Sony Pictures Animation, Columbia Pictures
Cast
Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Andy Samberg, Bruce Campbell, Mr. T, Bobb'e J. Thompson, Benjamin Bratt, Neil Patrick Harris, Al Roker, Lauren Graham, Will Forte, Max Neuwirth, Peter Siragusa, Angela Shelton, Neil Flynn, Liz Cackowski, Isabella Acres, Lori Alan, Shane Baumel
Where to watch
Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential
Curator Review
Verdict
A bright, inventive family comedy with a strong visual gag engine and enough heart to keep the chaos grounded. Its premise is ridiculous in the best way, and the movie turns that absurdity into a surprisingly sweet story about ambition, failure, and being valued for who you are.
Best for
kids and families
viewers who like fast, joke-dense animation
fans of inventive high-concept comedies
people who enjoy sincere underdog stories
Skip if
you want subtle humor or realism
you dislike broad, hyperactive animation
you prefer emotionally heavy family films
Overview
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is one of those animated comedies that commits fully to its own nonsense and wins because of it. The setup is pure cartoon logic, but the movie keeps finding new ways to escalate the premise without losing its emotional center. It’s playful, visually elastic, and packed with throwaway jokes that land even when the plot is sprinting ahead.
Worth noting
What makes it stick is that the chaos isn’t just random. Beneath the food storms and slapstick destruction, it’s about a kid inventor trying to be taken seriously and learning that success can become its own kind of disaster. The film balances that arc with a warm, crowd-pleasing tone, so it never feels preachy.
Bottom line
It’s especially strong as a family watch because it works on multiple levels: younger viewers get the spectacle, older viewers get the satire of overproduction and celebrity science, and everyone gets the sheer pleasure of watching a movie that keeps inventing visual punchlines. Not deep, but very cleverly made and still genuinely charming.
Top Letterboxd reviews
James (Schaffrillas) (4★) · 9469 likes
Imagine being lactose intolerant and it just fucking rains ice cream. That's like acid rain. Fuck you Flint Lockwood for not taking food allergies seriously
Framesofnick (5★) · 5550 likes
I don’t think the world realizes how perfect this movie is
Arnon🪐 (3★) · 3132 likes
Flint Lockwood’s dad is peak character design
rach (3.5★) · 2257 likes
i knew i was gonna love this the moment it started with ‘a film by a lot of people’
davidehrlich (3★) · 2090 likes
the part where the walking TV loots the electronic store and steals a human… that's comedy.