The Movie is a fun, interactive movie with a colorful, engaging plotline. – [your]NEWS

by Henry Pham

This movie gives me the Blue’s Clues vibes, since it involves the main character interacting with the audience, including adults and parents. Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie is DreamWorks Animation’s second live-action film, following the 2025 How to Train Your Dragon remake, and its first original live-action production. The story follows Gabby as she embarks on a road trip with her grandmother, GiGi, to Cat Francisco. When Gabby’s cherished dollhouse is taken by Vera, an eccentric cat enthusiast, Gabby must navigate the real world to reunite the Gabby Cats and recover her dollhouse.

Laila Lockhart Kraner (in her feature film debut ) reprises her role as Gabby, a young cat enthusiast who navigates the challenges of growing up. The film explores Gabby’s concerns about leaving childhood behind, while Kraner’s performance emphasizes that imagination and fun can continue into adolescence. She is an actress many teenage boys would have a crush on, and she makes this family-fantasy movie extremely magical, engaging, and heartwarming. The returning voice cast, including Logan Bailey, Eduardo Franco, Juliet Donenfield, Donovan Patton, Sainty Nelsen, Maggie Lowe, Carla Tassara, Tara Strong, and Secunda Wood, brings additional depth, emotion, and energy to the story. They are rudimentary to this animated film.

Gloria Estefan (Vivo) joins the cast as Gabby’s grandmother, providing guidance and support as Gabby faces important life choices. Oscar nominee Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids) portrays Vera, a wealthy businesswoman who has lost her sense of imagination and now collects cat-themed objects. Jason Mantzoukas (NBC’s Parks and Recreation) voices Chumsley, Vera’s childhood cat doll, who seeks to reconnect with her and wants to play with Gabby’s friends. Estefan’s performance offers warmth and direction. Her onscreen chemistry with Gabby shows an adorable relationship between a grandmother and a granddaughter, while Wiig’s portrayal of Vera is comical, though less consistent.

Directed and co-written by Ryan Crego, with executive producers Traci Paige Johnson and Jennifer Twomey (the creators of the show), the film is based on the Netflix series. The story maintains the show’s formula, appealing to its established audience and fans. While the CGI animation is vibrant, some sequences appear uneven. The dialogue lacks subtlety, and the climax feels underwhelming with a lot of humor being mixed in. Notably, the references to the series are subtle, while the film avoids introducing a romantic subplot for Gabby, allowing the franchise to remain focused on its original themes. One thing that’s really nice and relaxing is the movie encourages the audience to participate, even when it requires partying, singing, and dancing.

Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie is a fun, interactive movie with a colorful, engaging plotline. It is targeted for kids, girls, and fans who have watched the show. Sadly, I don’t think it’s a movie for boys and men who are older than 13, as this film did not feature any live-action male actors. I wanted to like this movie, but there’s too much glitter all over the place. It is beautifully good, but it is purr-fect for preschool aged kids and girls. The film clocks in at 98 minutes, which does not feel long or rushed. I have not watched the show, but it is good to see a Netflix show adapted into a film. This live-action/animated movie gave me the opportunity to explore the world of Gabby’s Dollhouse. As a film critic, I am entitled to see new movies released in theaters (and streaming service) and try out new things, which excites me. The cast did a wonderful job, but Laila Lockhart Kraner shines entirely throughout the movie, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for her and her big adventures. It’s a delightful movie the whole family can enjoy in theaters.

GRADE: B+

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