“The mediocre animated comedy The Secret Lives of Pets is based on an original idea by Chris Meledandri, the head of Illumination Entertainment, the studio responsible for the Despicable Me movies and their popular spinoff Minions.
“That idea? Toy Story but with house pets, which really tests the elasticity of the word “original.”
“For animal lovers, however, the hook (“Ever wonder what your pets do when you’re not home?”) is mainlined catnip, given the degree to which we already anthropomorphize our beloved kitties and pups (and hamsters and fish and falcons).
“The fantasy may relieve a little guilt, too: It’s nice to imagine them socializing and having adventures rather than sitting around bored, waiting for their owners to return from work.”
Read more at NPR
