Mousehunt Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

Two brothers inherit a house and get into a cartoonish brawl with a mouse, resulting in more property damage than a Michael Bay movie.

🍿 Mousehunt: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Inheritance and Misfortune

When string magnate Rudolph Smuntz dies, his sons Ernie and Lars inherit his dilapidated string factory and a seemingly worthless old house. Ernie, a restaurateur, accidentally poisons the mayor with a cockroach, losing his business. Lars’ refusal to sell the factory leads to his eviction by his wife.

Discovering the LaRue House

Broke and homeless, Ernie and Lars decide to inspect the inherited house. They discover it was designed by famed architect Charles Lyle LaRue, potentially worth millions. Their hopes rise, envisioning a lucrative auction.

The Unwanted Tenant

Their plans are complicated by a resourceful house mouse determined to defend its home. The brothers’ attempts to exterminate it escalate into a series of increasingly destructive and slapstick confrontations. They hire an eccentric exterminator and employ various traps, all to no avail.

The Auction Debacle

Despite their best efforts, the mouse sabotages the auction, causing chaos and ruin. The house crumbles, leaving the brothers penniless once more. They believe they’ve finally gotten rid of the mouse.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Ernie Smuntz (Nathan Lane): A cynical restauranteur who inherits a run-down house and becomes obsessed with getting rid of the resident mouse.
• Lars Smuntz (Lee Evans): The more naive and loyal brother who initially wants to keep the family’s string factory running.
• The Mouse (N/A): An intelligent and resourceful mouse determined to defend its home from the Smuntz brothers.
• April Smuntz (Vicki Lewis): Lars’s materialistic wife who pressures him to sell the string factory and then leaves him.
• Alexander Falko (Maury Chaykin): A wealthy collector interested in buying the LaRue house, driving up its perceived value.
• Caesar (Christopher Walken): An eccentric and intense exterminator hired to get rid of the mouse, but ultimately fails.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Ernie: “He’s Hitler with a tail!” – Ernie expresses his frustration and anger towards the incredibly clever and destructive mouse.
• Caesar: “You have to get inside their mind. You have to know what they want, need. You have to think… like a mouse!” – The eccentric exterminator Caesar explains his unique method of pest control.
• Lars: “I will not sell the factory! It’s the only Smuntz heritage we have left!” – Lars defends the importance of keeping the family legacy alive and not selling out.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $38,000,000
• Domestic Gross: $61,917,389
• Worldwide Gross: $122,417,389

💥 Mousehunt Reviews

Personal Review

I remember watching this as a kid and just being in stitches! The over-the-top slapstick and the way the brothers just kept escalating their war with the mouse was hilarious. The scene with Christopher Walken is pure comedic gold. The ending is kinda sweet too, and I’ve always had a soft spot for movies where unlikely characters find success together. It’s a fun movie to relax to when you want something predictable and hilarious!

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of slapstick comedy”
  • “Viewers who appreciate dark humor”
  • “Those who enjoy physical comedy duos like Laurel and Hardy”
  • “People looking for a nostalgic 90s film”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Cartoonish violence”
  • “Mild language”
  • “Dark humor”
  • “Suggestive content”

Professional Reviews

• Variety: “While the slapstick is inventive and the leads commit fully, ‘Mousehunt’ struggles to find its footing between dark comedy and family fare. It’s a chaotic, uneven ride that may leave some viewers feeling a bit queasy.
• RogerEbert.com: “Ebert says ‘Mousehunt’ is ‘relentless’ and ‘tiresome’. He gives two stars and says the movie is ‘the kind of movie where the actors try too hard’, and it is ‘too violent for children’.

Audience Reactions

Viewers loved the extreme slapstick and the inventive ways the mouse outsmarted the brothers.: The physical comedy is consistently mentioned as a major draw, appealing to both children and adults who enjoy cartoonish humor.

Overall Consensus: A divisive comedy with impressive visuals and slapstick, but some find the humor too dark or the characters unlikable.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “The mousetraps scene was completed without any digital effects. Over 800 mousetraps were set individually and rigged with wires under the floor.”
• “It took several takes for the mousetrap scene, so each trap had to be reset, baited, and wired one at a time.”

🖥️ How to Watch Mousehunt?

Mousehunt is available for streaming on platforms like Paramount+ and can be rented or purchased on services such as Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, and Vudu. Check your local listings for television airings.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Mousehunt, you might like these similar films:

• Home Alone (1990): Features elaborate slapstick and comical violence as protagonists defend their home against intruders.
• Tom and Jerry (1940-1967): A classic animated series with a similar dynamic of escalating conflict between a cat and mouse.
• The Great Race (1965): A broad, slapstick comedy from the same era, featuring elaborate physical humor and eccentric characters.
• Ratatouille (2007): An animated film where a rat with a passion for cooking teams up with a garbage boy to become a chef.

🛒 Mousehunt Related Products

• Mousehunt [Blu-ray]: Own the movie on Blu-ray for enhanced visual and audio quality. A must-have for fans of classic slapstick comedies and Gore Verbinski’s early work.
• Tom and Jerry: The Ultimate Collection Vol. 1 [DVD]: If you loved the cartoonish antics of Mousehunt, revisit the original cat-and-mouse duo with this essential collection. Pure animated slapstick gold.
• LEGO Ideas Home Alone McCallisters’ House 21330 Building Kit: This is a highly detailed, 3,955-piece recreation of the McCallisters’ house packed with iconic scenes and delightful details. It’s the ultimate nostalgic building project and a great addition to any movie fan’s collection.
• D-Unique 12Pcs Realistic Fake Mouse: These realistic fake mice are the perfect gag gift or prank prop for any Mousehunt fan who enjoys a good laugh or wants to recreate their favorite scenes (responsibly, of course!). Made of high-quality material, they look incredibly lifelike.

🎧 Soundtrack

Mousehunt features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Main Theme from Mousehunt” – performed by Alan Silvestri
• “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” – performed by The Los Angeles Children’s Chorus Ensemble

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Killed By A Mouse 😱

Ever wondered just how deadly a mouse can be? This hilarious clip highlights one of the funniest ‘kills’ from the movie. You’ve gotta see this!

Mousehunt 1997 Think like a mouse

Want to get inside the mind of a mouse? This clip shows you exactly how the brothers try to outsmart their tiny nemesis. It’s classic slapstick gold!

Mouse Hunt (1997) – Argument Scene

Remember that outrageously funny argument scene? This video brings you right back into the chaos. It’s a perfect snapshot of the brothers’ descent into madness!

✨ Rate