The Nut Job

Synopsis: In a city park, Surly the Squirrel has finally gone too far with his latest caper leading to the animal community's winter food cache being destroyed. Now exiled, Surly and his rat buddy Buddy's collective nightmare on the streets ends when they discover a nut store to raid. Meanwhile, the squirrels, the heroic Andie and the ditsy Grayson, are charged by Raccoon to find a new food source and Andie runs into Surly. With no other options, she arranges a deal to help in Surly's heist for the colony, even while Surly fully intends to betray it. However, there is more going on with the nut store being a front for bank robbers while Raccoon has his own agenda to ensure his own power. In the mayhem to come, Surly finds himself challenged in ways he never expected and discovering the real prize to treasure in this adventure.
Director(s): Peter Lepeniotis
Production: Open Road Films
  1 win & 5 nominations.
 
IMDB:
5.8
Metacritic:
37
Rotten Tomatoes:
11%
PG
Year:
2014
85 min
Website
3,995 Views


SURLY:
When you're an animal,

life's a balancing act.

Each day is a quest to

find food to survive.

It's a tough nut to crack.

Wait, you think I'm one

of these dopey pigeons?

No, no, no, no, this is me.

The handsome one.

(COOING)

I got no problem with

my feathered friends.

In fact, I get a real

kick outta them.

(SQUAWKS)

They're really soft on the feet.

And they're always building

these little picnic baskets

that offer the occasional treat.

Apparently, not today.

Thanks for nothing.

(COOING)

At the end of the day, I'm

just like all you fine people.

I'm no hero.

I'm just a squirrel

trying to get a nut.

One bag of nuts, please.

And that's my buddy named,

well, Buddy.

He don't talk much.

Yeah, they say the world's

there for the taking.

So, that's just

what we're gonna do.

(CHILDREN LAUGHING)

RACCOON:
Come along. Please keep

that food coming, everyone.

That's it. All finds are valuable.

(MOLE GRUNTING)

Mole, what is our food level now?

MOLE:
Pickings are slim this year.

(CHUCKLES)

I'm sure we could rephrase.

MOLE:
(GRUNTS)

We're at starvation levels!

We're all gonna die!

(ANIMALS MURMURING)

Now, now, now,

have optimism, brethren.

Stiff upper lip, everyone.

Ah! Here we are, food.

(ALL GASPING)

I'm afraid this is the

wrong kind of nut. Hmm...

Shiny.

(CHIRPING)

What's that? A nut cart?

A nut cart?

A nut cart? My eyes!

RACCOON:
This could be

our salvation for winter.

Andie!

I'm on my way.

You won't regret this.

Uh-uh-uh.

Grayson is going with you.

With all due respect, sir, I can

do this on my own. I don't...

Grayson!

Ole!

(ALL SIGHING)

Chicks dig the tail.

(CLICKS TONGUE)

RACCOON:
Help Andie retrieve as many

nuts from that cart as possible.

For the park!

ALL:
For the park!

Oh! What she said.

And above all, keep a wary

watchful eye out for you-know-who.

No! Not him!

Yes, him.

Ho, ho, ho, come to daddy.

Hey, mack, you know where

the Oakton Bank is?

Oh, thanks.

(HORNS HONKING)

Where'd you learn to drive?

MAN:
Moron!

(CLICKING)

(YAWNS)

(CONTINUES CLICKING)

GIRL:
Hey, mister!

I want some nuts.

Scram, kid, we're closed.

The sign says you're open!

Burn rubber.

Did you hear me? I want nuts!

FINGERS:
You want nuts?

GIRL:
Nuts!

We got to get those nuts before the

rest of the park gets in on this.

Let's go over the plan.

That's us, there's the cart,

we rob the cart and then stuff

ourselves silly all winter.

(BUDDY WHISTLING)

What are you looking at?

Great. We got company.

Okay, we got to move.

Get in the pail.

Officer, that man,

he assaulted me with nuts.

- Oh, no.

- GIRL:
It was horrible.

Now, listen,

Officer, that is not...

I need to see your vendor permits.

There it is.

Enough food to feed the park

for the entire winter.

That dog will make

it difficult, though.

Grayson? Grayson?

- Quiet. (SNIFFING)

- ANDIE:
What are you doing?

I'm smelling for any sign of

that rascal, Surly Squirrel.

Picking up rather

strange scents, though.

Cashews, man musk,

(SNEEZES) dog hair.

I knew it. You stay here.

Honestly, woman, I am still

the park hero around here!

(CLICKS TONGUE)

Which reminds me, why haven't

you asked me out on a date?

Oh.

(LAUGHS)

(SNIFFING)

I smell a rat.

What are you doing here, Surly?

(SCREAMS)

FINGERS:
Do you like cashews?

You want some cashews?

Who needs a permit

when you got nuts?

Great. So, you're

after this nut cart, too, huh?

Of course I am. The park needs it.

Well, too late, sister. Amscray.

Buddy and I got here first,

and I ain't sharing.

Oh, yes, you are.

Fall's half over and the park's

having the worst shortage in years.

That nut cart can feed everyone.

Hey, we'll work together.

We can work out a deal.

Uh, pass me that

metal thingy, will you?

(GROANS)

I just... I don't get it.

You have all the drive and ability

to help the park,

but you never do.

You know, this is a chance to

prove Raccoon is wrong about you.

I don't care what Raccoon thinks.

Well, then do it for the park. Stop

thinking about yourself all the time.

Look, I'm independent

and that means

looking out for number one.

I suggest you do the same

if you want to survive.

Got that?

I feel sorry for you, Surly.

A-ha!

Found him, Andie!

In a tree, no less.

Very crafty, Surly.

I shall now arrest you

before you interfere

with the park's nut cart caper.

It's okay, Grayson. I got him.

No, Grayson, she doesn't.

You better help her.

Well, you! I'm gonna...

Hey, Sugar Ray,

take the gloves off.

I'm just gonna rip your tail off.

Now, how about that date?

Listen, I'd love to keep chatting,

but I got a date with destiny.

Destiny, do I know her?

Buena suerte, chumps!

That was thrilling!

(GROANS)

That was painful.

(SIGHS)

This is going to end up bad.

LUCKY:
Excuse me, Officer.

I happen to have

seen the whole thing.

This little girl might be

exaggerating a little bit...

I am not!

(GROANING)

FINGERS:
Did you see that?

You're my witness.

LUCKY:
Did you see that, Officer?

FINGERS:
Yeah. Yeah,

she assaulted me, Officer!

I'm just an innocent citizen.

Aren't I right?

(SIGHS)

Aww, great.

(BARKING)

(GRUNTS)

(SNARLS)

Bon apptit.

(BLOWS RASPBERRY)

(GROWLS)

Hey, your cart, it's getting away.

Holy Toledo!

Amscray.

(LAUGHING TRIUMPHANTLY)

Uh-oh.

Nuts!

What a woman!

(GRUNTING)

(WHIMPERS)

(INDISTINCT MUTTERING)

That just cost you 10%.

(SIGHS)

Ole! Did I save the day?

(ALL SCREAMING)

Grayson, try to get as much

food for the stock as you can.

(SNIFFING)

Hey, what's that smell?

That's my cologne, made from

tree sap and falcon tears.

- Get back.

- Hey, watch the tail.

Flammable here, come on.

These nuts are ours!

Huh?

These nuts are mine!

Okay, Surly, let's negotiate.

We can share it with the park.

Yeah, that sounds fair. How

about 100 me, zero for you?

(GRUNTS)

Wow!

They definitely don't have

a permit for that.

(LAUGHING MANICALLY)

No!

We have to stop this cart.

Photo op!

(GRUNTING)

Surly, come help me, man!

What? Curse you, Surly!

(LAUGHING)

Surly, you coward!

(SNICKERS)

Heck of a day.

Grayson, the oak tree.

The tally is in.

The food collected

in the trunk of our oak tree

(ALL GASP)

will not be enough

to carry us through winter.

(ALL GROAN)

I knew it! We're gonna die!

- Settle down, settle down now, please.

- Raccoon!

(SHUSHING)

Raccoon is giving a speech.

Though this outlook

appears disheartening...

Excuse me,

Andie and Grayson are on...

with determination and honor...

(CLICKING TONGUE)

You gotta listen to me.

this park will persevere!

Take heart, park brethren,

there is hope!

(ALL GASPING)

- Raccoon!

- Quiet.

I'd like to take this

moment to point out...

Quiet. Quiet.

(LAUGHING)

Grayson's never

let us down before.

I believe he is on his way right

at this very moment carrying...

Flaming cart of nuts!

What?

(GASPS)

(ANIMALS SCREAMING)

Our food! it will be destroyed!

Why didn't you say anything?

Abandon tree! Abandon tree!

(GRUNTS)

Not my perfectly

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Lorne Cameron

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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