Handy Manny: Motorcycle Adventure (2009)

Tools of the Game

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Buy Handy Manny: Motorcycle Adventure on DVD

On TV, "Handy Manny" is a good computer-animated kids' show with plenty of humor and the occasional Spanish lesson. This 46-minute "feature film" offers more of the same, but with a chase/rescue subplot to make up the extra time. It also features newcomer Flicker the flashlight, who speaks virtually no English. Manny (voiced by Wilmer Valderrama) decides to fix up an old motorcycle to ride to his annual family reunion. At the same time, Pat the hammer (voiced by Tom Kenny) decides that he would like a family of his own and becomes intrigued by an advertising image of a talking hammer, believing it to be a possible cousin. While stopping for gas, Pat, Flicker and Squeeze climb on board a delivery truck with the same talking hammer picture on the side, and the truck drives off with them. So Manny and the rest of the tools must track them down, at the same time dealing with things like flat tires and broken bridges. Meanwhile, there are a few fun musical numbers, including a song by Los Lobos ("Rolling"). Overall the movie has a nice, warm tone and should be entertaining to kids and inoffensive to adults. Extras on Disney's DVD include an interactive game and a special Christmas episode, "A Very Handy Holiday."

With: (voices) Wilmer Valderrama, Nancy Truman, Tom Kenny, Annie Mumolo, Mindy Burbano, Carlos Alazraqui, Dee Bradley Baker, Nika Futterman, Kath Soucie, Fred Stoller, Grey DeLisle, Donny Osmond, Kris Kristofferson, Annie Mumolo
Written by: Rick Gitelson
Directed by: Charles E. Bastien
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 46 minutes
Date: December 1, 2009