Flora & Ulysses Review!

Flora & Ulysses, based on the Newberry award winning book by Kate DiMillio, is a fun, family comedy with superheroes at its heart.  It is directed by Lena Khan who also directed the comedy The Tiger Hunter (2016) with Danny Pudi.  The screenplay is by Brad Copeland, the writer of Spies in Disguise (2019).  The regular Disney castle is transformed into the four color printing of early comic books.  As we are introduced to the Silver Surfer, looks like John Buscema art, this is by the narrator Flora (Belle in the book) Buckman (Matilda Lawler).  The actress was in the horror film Evil (2019).  Then, we get a look at the Jack Kirby Silver Surfer, Flora has a funny comment on the super hero.  Lastly, is Incandesto, the superhero created by her father.  It seems like an unknown hero put next to comic legends would put him in the shadow, nope, Incandesto shines!  This is fun intro into superheroes, but Flora’s conclusion is “they never show up in the real world.”  She drops a stack of comics, Green Lantern is at the top, Flora has a resolute face as she gets the attention of the shop owner, named Stanlee(!) played by Bobby Moynihan.  He drops his Duck Tales comic to deal with Flora, very funny since he voices Louie in the Duck Tales cartoon!  Moynihan as a comic shop owner is perfect!     

She insists they are in mint condition and in protective sleeves.  I admire her understanding of comics as collector items.  He goes through the collection and Flora notices she accidentally put in a copy of Incandesto!  Stanlee offers $30, really the few comics I saw, it would be $3, she is not happy with the offer.  He says he was to watch over a game tournament with a castle on a table.  Flora steps back so Stanlee can rethink his offer, she bumps over a comics rack, it strikes the castle and game!, Flora takes the offer.  The mishaps happen throughout the movie, but this one is kinda shocking to me.  Flora rides her bike, she sees family together, and calls herself a “cynic.”  This mostly comes from her book, Terrible Things Can Happen to You.  She doesn’t believe in superheroes and sees in her imagination, Incandesto (Darien Martin) running next to her.  He flies off and Flora gets hit in the head by a soccer ball knocking her into the grass.  Later, Flora is reading the Incandesto comic in her upstairs room, when her mother reminds her to read the stack of books.  Her mother, Phyllis Buckman (Alyson Hannigan) is a romance novelist.  Hannigan is of course known for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but recently is voicing Claire Clancey in the Disney cartoon show, Fancy Nancy. The rapport between this family is funny.  

Phyllis takes Flora down to see her new old typewriter to replace her computer.  She needs inspiration for her new novel.  Still, the typewriter has a faulty “J” key.  Flora looks at covers of her mother’s books, a funny one is Sense and Sensuality, she flashes back with her family together including father, George (Ben Schwartz).  He voices Dewey Duck on Duck Tales and was Jean-Ralphio in Parks and Recreation.  Flora notes at the water park flashback that her mother could write about love because they were happy together.  She notes in the current time, that her dad moved out and that caused the writer’s block for her mom. Clever line, “dad was her J key.”  Flora hears the cry for help from her neighbor, Tootie (Nancy Robertson), and sees from the window that her robot vacuum is out of control in the yard.  Flora races to help, the vaccuum is blocked, but states, “Evolving”, AI!  The vacuum takes off and rams into a tree knocking off a squirrel.  It identifes the squirrel as “Trash” and sucks it up!  Flora removes the squirrel and fades away.  She gives him squirrel cpr, um, I hope kids don’t get the notion of interacting with squirrels or want one as a pet.  The squirrel revives and sees the smiling face of Flora.       

   

She takes him home in the vaccum box, the Ulysses 2000, and sees her father’s art supplies on the street.  Flora takes them in and sees her father’s other heroes, Mighty Condor (Victoria Katongo), and Shobo (Kyle Strauts), and of course Incandesto.  I would actually like to see a movie or tv mini-series about these characters.  Flora recounts the origin story with her dad unable to find a publisher, self-publish!, and gives up on his comics career and leaves family and home.  George now has a job at an office goods store, binders keepers, with an annoying boss, Chad (Jesse Reid). Flora pretends to be a helpful customer, but Chad knows she is George’s daughter.  She explains that she saved Ulysses’ life and gets some trail mix.  Flora mentions she has found an online publisher, but George has given up his comics career. She returns home and says that she saw her father.  Phyllis says she needs to see her Jack and Rose statue, her romance writer trophy!  Flora checks on Ulysses and goes over Incandesto’s origin story, he was a janitor named Alfred Slipper, until he fell into a vat of chemicals.  She thinks Ulysses might be a superhero.  

At dinner, Phyllis tells her daughter that the newspaper is going to interview her about her next book.   Night, Ulysses scampers down the stairs, he sees the typewriter and begins typing.  In the morning, Phyllis points out that the page that writes he is a “squirtel.”  Flora is amazed that Ulysses can understand her.  She has some comics still around and wonders at Ulysses’ purpose.  He wants to be his sidekick. At the door is the neighbor, Mrs. Tickham,with some turnovers and her nephew, William (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth).  He was in the mini-series, The Haunting of Bly Manor.  William is “hysterically blind” from stress and his clumsiness is kinda funny.  Phyllis notices Ulysses on the Jack and Rose statue!  Outside, Flora warns Ulysses and William finds her talking to the squirrel.  She admist that Ulysses is a superhero.  George has arrived, he has an awkward meeting with Phyllis, she wants him to take away the squirrel.  Flora is not happy.  On the car ride, Flora says Ulysses is a superhero, George takes them to the Donut Diner.  They are served by Rita (Kate Minnucii) and she sees Ulysses and his powers are revealed!  This chaos bring the attention of the animal control officer, Miller (Danny Pudi).  He is having fun in this part, goofy physical comedy.  Flora & Ulysses is a silly, funny movie with quirky characters and a family that has to be brought together all inspired by a superhero squirrel!  

Four J Keys out of Five! 

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