The Proud Family Movie

“The Proud Family” started on the Disney Channel in 2001 as a way of broadening the network’s scale of racial diversity. Aaron Wallace noted in his review, “With storylines that touch on racial harmony and black history, dialogue that is playfully laced with Ebonics, and a theme song by R&B group Destiny's Child, the cartoon series clearly seems targeted toward a specific demographic (or stereotype, depending on how you read it).” However, that doesn’t mean its demand is limited nor does it feel like it’s racially insensitive. The series doesn’t really have the best of television animation, but it’s entertaining enough to distract and never annoying enough to keep away.

Like most shows that started on the Disney Channel, “The Proud Family” had a periodic run of four years on TV before being taken off after about three seasons’ worth of episodes. There was a time when Disney’s shows would all of a sudden stop on an episode like any other without giving a feeling of ending. Thankfully, it looks like those days are in the past. Nowadays, they’re often ending with a feature-length film to cap off the series and that’s exactly what “The Proud Family Movie,” released in 2005, is.

Wallace noted, “The nature of the series-turned-movie is typically adventuresome, suggesting something a bit more eventful. In the Proud Family's case, the event at hand is quite a departure from the series itself.” The main character, Penny Proud, voiced by Kyla Pratt, is still fighting with her family and friends as her sixteenth birthday is arriving (which is a highlight to end on). As always, her father, Oscar Proud, voiced by Tommy Davidson, doesn’t like her childish behavior and refuses to let her appear in rapper Fifteen Cent’s new music video or even date him, which is exactly what Penny wants to do.

That’s basically typical “Proud Family” stuff, but what takes this story out of the usual is the other story: Oscar has invented a new peanut-based snack that attracts Dr. Carver, voiced by former TV host Arsenio Hall, an evil, peanut-crazed scientist who invites the Proud family to his private island, where he and his team of peanut clones are ready to use whatever they can to capture Oscar’s peanut formula for their own plans. Even Penny’s funny grandmother, famously called Suga Mama, voiced by Harriette Winslow from “Family Matters,” Jo Marie Payton, joins them. Wallace noted, “The story plays out more like The Incredibles than an episode of "The Proud Family," but as it stays true to the characters, it doesn't feel entirely out of place and the quirky premise seems excusable.” Even though it may not be that hilarious or enjoyable – nor does it completely end the show – it’s very deflecting and does tie together different elements of the original show.

“The Proud Family Movie” gives a decent but not outstanding end to an alright but likable animated series. Being familiar with or enjoying the original show isn’t necessary for understanding it, but the movie doesn’t impress enough to give a recommendation for those who haven’t already seen “The Proud Family.” Wallace ended his review by saying, “Fans (even casual ones), however, are likely to find a nice little diversion in this release and the satisfactory presentation and bonus short subjects only serve to sweeten this nutty deal.”

I only saw an ending to one episode when Penny was in her Spelling Bee and Oscar had cheated by helping her how to spell “bobbin.” Other than that, I actually had found myself enjoying this movie when I watched it. If you have or haven’t seen the show, watch this movie because I think everyone will find something enjoyable in it. Check it out and see for yourself.

Look out tomorrow where I look at another film that I enjoyed in “Disney Channel Original Movie Month.”