Despicable Me (2010)

Film and Plot Synopsis

“Despicable Me” is an animated comedy film released in 2010, directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud, and produced by Illumination Entertainment. The film follows the story of Gru, a supervillain with a penchant for world domination, who experiences an unexpected change of heart when he adopts three orphaned girls. The plot revolves around Gru’s attempt to steal the moon, his rivalry with fellow villain Vector, and his transformation from a cold-hearted villain to a loving father figure.

‘Despicable Me’ Movie Summary

The film begins by introducing Gru (Steve Carrell), a grumpy and ambitious supervillain who is widely known for his nefarious deeds, including stealing famous landmarks and committing other acts of villainy. Gru’s most recent aspiration is to steal the moon, a feat that would solidify his reputation as the greatest villain in the world. To accomplish this goal, Gru enlists the help of his army of loyal Minions, small yellow creatures with a penchant for mischief and mayhem. Together, they devise a plan to shrink and steal the moon using a shrink ray invented by Gru’s mad scientist partner, Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand).

However, Gru’s plans are interrupted when he encounters Vector (Jason Segal), a rival supervillain who steals the shrink ray from him. Determined to reclaim his stolen invention, Gru devises a new plan to infiltrate Vector’s fortress and retrieve the shrink ray.

In the midst of his mission, Gru encounters three orphaned girls named Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Elsie Fisher), who are selling cookies door-to-door. Initially dismissive of the girls, Gru sees them as an opportunity to gain access to Vector’s fortress by posing as a caring father. He adopts the girls from Miss Hattie’s Home for Girls, intending to use them as pawns in his scheme to steal back the shrink ray.

As Gru spends time with the girls, he begins to develop genuine affection for them, despite his initial reluctance to embrace fatherhood. The girls, in turn, warm up to Gru and bring out his softer side, much to the surprise of his Minions and Dr. Nefario.

When we got adopted by a bald guy, I thought this would be more like Annie. Edith (Dana Gaier)

Meanwhile, Vector showcases the power of the shrink ray by stealing the Great Pyramid of Giza, prompting Gru to accelerate his plans to steal back the device and claim the moon for himself. With the help of the girls and his loyal Minions, Gru launches a daring rescue mission to infiltrate Vector’s fortress and retrieve the shrink ray. The mission is fraught with obstacles, including elaborate security measures and Vector’s own arsenal of high-tech gadgets. However, Gru and his team manage to outwit Vector and retrieve the shrink ray, only to discover that the Villain bank still will not provide Gru with the money needed to finance his theft of the moon.

Undeterred, Gru pushes forward and improvises a new plan to use the moon’s gravitational pull to launch a makeshift rocket and steal the celestial body directly. Gru sets his launch date on the same day as the girls’ dance recital. Gru maintains his focus and moves forward with his plan despite breaking the girls’ young hearts. With the help of his Minions and Dr. Nefario, Gru successfully launches the rocket into space and secures the moon, much to the disbelief of the world.

In the aftermath of his victory, Gru realizes that his newfound happiness lies not in achieving villainous feats, but in the love and companionship of Margo, Edith, and Agnes. He abandons his plans for world domination and embraces his role as a loving father, earning the admiration of his daughters and the respect of his Minions. However, before doing so, he has to save the girls from Vector, who kidnaps them in order to have Gru handover the moon to him. Gru saves the girls, and Vector’s plan goes awry when it is learned that the shrink ray only works temporarily on its subjects. The moon eventually reaches full size and is returned to orbit, with one new resident – Vector.

With the girls safely in his care, Gru returns home where he receives a special dance recital from the kids that turns into a full-blown dance party for the Minions.