UglyDolls Pretty Formulaic Lesson of Be Yourself

UGLYDOLLS is one of those films that works if you (a) don't question things and (b) have something to read while your kids watch it. The premise of the Overly Optimistic Outcast has simply been done to death, and it would take some masterful storytelling to jolt some life into that tired old plot.

The UglyDolls are toys that didn't make the quality cut at the factory, and get shunted down a chute to Uglyville. Moxie (KELLY CLARKSON) still dreams of making it to "the big world" and finding her child, and every day in Uglyville is a party with Moxie at the head of it. No one thinks Moxie will every realize her dream, but none of them, not even Mayor Ox (BLAKE SHELTON), crush her positive attitude.

When Moxie decides the way out of Uglyville is back out the same tube that all the new arrivals come through, she gathers a band of friends and goes on a quest that leads her to a world populated by other dolls, also looking for the day they can go to the big world and be unified with a child that will make their lives complete. These dolls, led by Loue (NICK JONAS), follow the pursuit to perfection--in other words, the exact opposite of the UglyDolls.

As you can tell by the casting, there are a lot of professional singers voicing these characters. So you wouldn't be amiss expecting some songs in this film. In fact, the film is almost one long music video. The numbers are well-performed, even catchy, but don't make up for the story being completely predictable, using elements of TOY STORY and THE LEGO MOVIE to embellish the tired line of "be yourself."