Animation

Just whose backyard is it anyway? Spring has sprung and Verne and his woodland friends awaken from their long winter's nap to discover that a tall green "thing" has mysteriously cropped up right through the middle of their home. Enter RJ an opportunistic raccoon who explains that the world beyond the hedge is the "gateway to the good life" where peculiar creatures called humans live to eat rather than eat to live. Suspicious and even a little jealous of RJ the ever-cautious Verne wants to keep his blended family safely on their side of the hedge. But proving the adage that one man's garbage is another man's-or rather animal's-treasure the manipulative RJ tries to convince the woodland band that there is little to fear and everything to gain from their over-indulgent new neighbors. Eventually RJ and Verne form an unlikely friendship as they learn to co-exist with-and even exploit-this strange new world called suburbia. Heading up an all-star voice cast Bruce Willis (the "Die Hard" franchise "Sixth Sense") is the voice of the mischievous con-artist raccoon named RJ and Emmy winner Garry Shandling (TV's "The Larry Sanders Show " "It's Garry Shandling's Show") voices the overprotective turtle named Verne in the computer-animated comedy "Over the Hedge." Rounding out the voice cast of "Over the Hedge" are: Steve Carell ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin " TV's "The Office") as a hyperactive squirrel named Hammy; two-time Emmy winner William Shatner (TV's "Boston Legal") as Ozzie a possum who excels at playing dead with a melodramatic flair; chart-topping recording artist Avril Lavigne as Ozzie's daughter Heather; Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy (both "A Mighty Wind " "Best in Show") who are paired as the porcupine couple Penny and Lou with a brood of little porcupine mouths to feed; comedienne Wanda Sykes as a sassy skunk named Stella; two-time Oscar® nominee Nick Nolte ("Affliction " "The Prince of Tides") as a bear named Vincent; and Omid Djalili ("Casanova") as a spoiled housecat named Tiger. On the human side four-time Emmy winner Allison Janney (TV's "The West Wing") plays Gladys the president of the local homeowners' association who isn't about to see her neighborhood overrun by wildlife; and Oscar® nominee Thomas Haden Church ("Sideways") as "the Verminator " whom Gladys hires to rid the area of our woodland heroes. Based on the popular comic strip by Michael Fry and T Lewis "Over the Hedge" is being directed by Tim Johnson ("Antz") and Karey Kirkpatrick ("Chicken Run" screenwriter) making his directorial debut. Bonnie Arnold ("Toy Story " "Tarzan") is producing.