Flushed Away (2006) – Nostalgia Central

Flushed Away is an entertaining cartoon for the proverbial “all ages” which traces the adventures of Roddy St. James, a pampered pet mouse who lives with a high-society family in London’s posh Kensington. He’s voiced by Hugh Jackman.

When his humans go on vacation, Roddy has the run of the mansion. That is, until a ruffian rat called Sid (voiced by Shane Richie) pops up from the sewers to claim new territory.

In the struggle that ensues, Roddy gets “flushed away” to join street-tough rodents and frogs, fighting for control of a pint-sized London in the subterranean sewers.

Lucky for Roddy, he bumps into a free-spirited river rat named Rita (voiced by Kate Winslet), who pilots a rickety boat (the Jammy Dodger) in the underground waterways. The two earn the enmity of the villainous Toad (voiced by Ian McKellen), a power-grabbing amphibian who runs the underworld mob.

Toad and his henchmen Spike (Andy Serkis) and Whitey (Bill Nighy) soon give chase.

Roddy, of course, would like nothing better than to get back to his cosy Kensington digs. But, then again, did he really like living alone, even if it was cosy?

The film was created by Aardman Animation, the delightful English wits behind Wallace & Gromit. Once again, droll British sensibility dominates the dialogue, along with their penchant for background detail and multilayered humour.

This was Aardman’s first film to employ computer graphics for its images. The characters look like their trademark clay figures, but it’s all a CGI illusion. The experiment works.

If you like Wallace & Gromit, you’ll enjoy Flushed Away.

Roddy St. James
Hugh Jackman (voice)
Rita Malone
Kate Winslet (voice)
The Toad
Ian McKellen (voice)
Le Frog
Jean Reno (voice)
Whitey
Bill Nighy (voice)
Spike
Andy Serkis (voice)
Sid
Shane Richie (voice)
Rita’s Mum
Kathy Burke (voice)
Rita’s Dad
David Suchet (voice)
Rita’s Grandma
Miriam Margolyes (voice)
Tabitha
Rachel Rawlinson (voice)
Mother
Susan Duerden (voice)
Father
Miles Richardson (voice)
Football Commentator
John Motson (voice)
Newspaper Seller
Douglas Weston (voice)
Policeman/Balloon Seller
Roger Blake (voice)
Thimblenose Ted/Cockroach/Passerby
Christopher Fairbank (voice)
Pegleg
Paul Shardlow (voice)
Take Out
Conrad Vernon (voice)
Barnacle
Jonathan Kydd (voice)
Tex
Newell Alexander (voice)
Edna
Susan Fitzer (voice)
Fergus
Joshua Silk (voice)
Rita’s Little Sister
Meredith Wells (voice)
Rita’s Sister #2
Ashleigh-Louis Elliot (voice)
Rita’s Sister #3
Ashleigh Ludwig (voice)
Fat Barry/Market Trader
Christopher Knights (voice)
Fly-Lady/Passerby #2
Emma Tate (voice)
Action Figure/Artist
Tom McGrath (voice)
Liam/Prophet/Ladykiller/Fanseller
Sam Fell (voice)
Goldfish/Fly/Shocky/Henchfrog #1/Tadpole
David Bowers (voice)

Directors
David Bowers
Sam Fell