--- title: "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/cloudy-with-a-chance-of-meatballs/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/cloudy-with-a-chance-of-meatballs" critics_score: 70 critics_reviews: 11 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009): what the critics said Critics' score 70 from 11 reviews: 9 positive, 1 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics like this one, several more than they expected to. Nine of the eleven reviews are positive, and the praise clusters in the same places: the invention of the food set pieces, the density of the sight gags, and a script whose jokes work for adults as well as children. Several also credit the father-son relationship with holding the spectacle together. The reservations are about weight, not tone. Several critics find the story too slight for a feature, with a second act that slows once familiar themes arrive, and Digital Spy finds the moralising wearying. The 3D divides them: Empire calls it effective, while Digital Spy and Eye for Film think it adds little. The spread is wide. The Hollywood Reporter doubts the premise can sustain the running time, and Eye for Film, the one outright negative, calls the film thin and forgettable while allowing that children will still enjoy it. ## Time Out — Tom Huddleston Rating 4/5. 14 September 2009. The review gives the film four stars and presents it as a challenger to Pixar’s dominance in computer animation. The available text singles out that challenge, but does not reveal a specific element of the film that the critic praises. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/cloudy-with-a-chance-of-meatballs-1) ## Empire — Helen O'Hara Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 14 January 2009. O’Hara finds the film bright, silly and entertaining, though familiar story themes slow the second act. She praises its witty dialogue, lively voice cast and effective 3D spectacle. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/cloudy-chance-meatballs-review/) ## Slant Magazine — Adam Keleman Rating 3/4. 16 September 2009. Keleman finds the film sweet, buoyant, and imaginative, though less nuanced than its Pixar peers. He praises the heartfelt father-son relationship for grounding the food-frenzy spectacle. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/cloudy-with-a-chance-of-meatballs/) ## The AV Club — Keith Phipps Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 17 September 2009. Phipps finds the film brisk, bright, and winning, though its warning about abundance already feels out of touch. He praises its clever sight gags, lively visual style, and endearing characters. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/cloudy-with-a-chance-of-meatballs-1798206970) ## The Guardian — Xan Brooks Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 17 September 2009. Brooks finds the film an exuberant, varied animated comedy and a sly parable of consumption. He praises its mix of the bland and bizarre, sweet and sour, and its imaginative food-based set pieces. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/sep/18/cloudy-with-chance-of-meatballs) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Stephen Farber Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 17 September 2009. Farber finds the film’s premise appealing but says the story and animation do not sustain a feature-length runtime. He praises James Caan’s performance and some visual gags, while noting that the target audience may still enjoy it. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/cloudy-chance-meatballs-film-review-93540/) ## /Film — Devindra Hardawar Rating 8.5/10. 18 September 2009. The critic considers the film a surprisingly strong kids’ movie and an excellent comedy. They especially praise its writing and humor, which work for adults as well as children. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/505447/movie-review-cloudy-with-a-chance-of-meatballs-an-unlikely-success/) ## Collider — Andre Dellamorte Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 3 February 2010. The critic finds the film funny, sweet, and inventive, though it falls short of classic status. He especially praises its strong pacing and the heartfelt father-son relationship. [Read the review](https://collider.com/cloudy-with-a-chance-of-meatballs-blu-ray-review/) ## Den of Geek — Simon Brew Rating 4/5. 29 January 2010. Brew warmly recommends the film and calls it one of 2009’s most welcome animated surprises. He praises its vibrant, inventive visuals, while noting that the story feels too slight for its runtime. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/cloudy-with-a-chance-of-meatballs-blu-ray-review/) ## Digital Spy Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 15 September 2009. The critic finds it a worthwhile, harmless family film, though its moralizing can become wearying. They praise its imaginative food-related humor and its action-film parody, while noting that 3D adds little. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a175592/cloudy-with-a-chance-of-meatballs/) ## Eye for Film — Martin Gray Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 29 September 2009. Gray finds the film a thin, forgettable family adventure despite its appeal to children. He praises the comic Baby Brent and the touching relationship between Flint and his father, but criticizes the repetitive set pieces and restrained use of 3D. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/cloudy-with-a-chance-of-meatballs-film-review-by-martin-gray) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/cloudy-with-a-chance-of-meatballs.md