Gumdrop (2012) Reviews

• Delightful thanks to clever use of effects and a great voice performance from Hristova (a visual effects animator)

  bob the moo2014-04-05

  Gumdrop is about a robot who travelled from Europe to LA and is now trying to break into the movies. This is essentially the plot but it is nowhere near as big as that makes it sound, instead it is our main character Gumdrop, having an audition with an offscreen person asking her questions and occasionally we have a cut to a scene or a movie where Gumdrop has been put into the scene in place of the original actor. As an effects driven movie it is great because it really doesn't matter that Gumdrop is a robot even if she is undeniable a robot and there is some comedy to be had from this being the case. Before she is an effect, she is a character and I loved how they did this with the animation but most importantly with the voice work. Instead of trying to play to her robotic nature, the film uses a totally normal voice full of life and passion and animates around that. Hristova (who is not an actress) delivers the voice and it is so charmingly natural and warm that it is hard not to like her and feel drawn to the robot as a result. It is a very simple audition scene but the effects are fluid and most importantly, very well used to produce a warmly engaging character with a great voice/personality and some clever asides. Well worth a look.