Cast: Laila Lockhart Kraner, Kristen Wiig, Carla Tassara, Tara Strong
Genre: Family, Comedy, Fantasy, Musical, Animation, Adventure
Director: Ryan Crego
In Irish Cinemas: 16th October 2025
There are animated movies made for kids, and then there are animated movies made only for kids. Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie lands squarely in the latter category, perfectly tailored for the pre-teen crowd that turned the long-running Netflix series (11 seasons, 76 episodes and counting) into a streaming juggernaut. Nothing wrong with that, of course, if you’ve got little ones who need an hour and a half of distraction, they’ll likely be delighted. But unless you regularly sip juice from a beaker, your mileage may vary.
This live-action/animation hybrid follows Gabby, played once again by Laila Lockhart Kraner, who reprises her dual role as both the human and animated versions of the character. As fans of the show already know, Gabby owns a magical dollhouse built by her doting grandmother Gigi (voiced by Gloria Estefan). Inside live a collection of pint-sized, talking cats. Whenever Gabby feels like joining them, she pinches her ears, bursts into the “Pinch Pinch Song,” and proudly declares, “It’s time to get tiny!” with the kind of relentless cheer that could power a motivational talk.
The plot kicks into motion when Gabby and Grandma hit the road in the “Kitty Wagon,” a van shaped like a cat (complete with whiskers), en route to the whimsically named Cat Francisco, a pastel, feline-infused version of San Francisco, where the Golden Gate Bridge gleams bubblegum pink. Naturally, the magical dollhouse tumbles out of the van. It ends up in the clutches of Vera (Kristen Wiig), a wildly eccentric “cat lady” entrepreneur whose signature product is, I kid you not, Pretty Glitter Kitty Litter. She and her cat, Marlena, even wear matching outfits, because, of course, they do.
Gabby sets off to rescue her lost feline friends, meeting new characters along the way, including Chumley (Jason Mantzoukas), a grumpy stuffed animal nursing a decades-old grudge against Vera for abandoning him. The moral? Never neglect your plush toys, or else.
You might lose track of the plot somewhere between the glitter explosions and the audience sing-alongs, which the film encourages with its interactive format. Like the series, Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie is designed to get kids clapping, shouting, and dancing in their seats. If you bring your children, maybe limit the sweets beforehand, consider it a public warning to fellow cinema-goers.
The film itself is pure sugar rush, bright, bouncy, and utterly unashamed of its silliness. Between the peppy pop numbers, an endless parade of cat puns, and heartfelt lessons about imagination and friendship, it’s easy to see why preschoolers adore it. Gabby frequently breaks the fourth wall to dispense affirmations like, “You’re never too old to play,” and even encourages the audience to hold hands. Sweet in theory, though as a solo adult viewer, I decided against testing that invitation.
Ultimately, it’s harmless, high-energy fluff, a cinematic cupcake sprinkled with glitter. Kraner remains a charming lead, Estefan radiates grandmotherly warmth, and the voice cast (Thomas Lennon, Kyle Mooney, Melissa Villaseñor, and Fortune Feimster) brings more personality than the somewhat flat animation deserves. As for Wiig, she throws herself into the role with typical gusto, elevating the material with every exaggerated purr.
Parents may leave the cinema slightly dazed and possibly several euros poorer after buying cat-ear headbands, but the target audience will leave grinning. For them, at least, it’s the cat’s meow.
Overall: 6/10
Movie Reviewer
