Film Name: 神偷奶爸 / Despicable Me
My first encounter with this film came from the header image on the renowned Mtime blog “Wuyou.” That cluster of yellow capsule-shaped characters was quite eye-catching—their expressions were vivid and utterly charming. At the time, I assumed the film centered on these little figures as protagonists.
Honestly, compared to the English title “Despicable Me,” I prefer the Taiwanese translation “神偷奶爸” (Divine Thief Daddy). The latter reveals the protagonist’s dual identity and his dual nature. On the surface, the film tells a story of transformation: Gru evolves from a villain obsessed with stealing for fame and fortune into a “father” who prioritizes family bonds. While the film gradually shows this shift through details like Gru’s tone of voice, bedtime reading, goodnight kisses, and his changing attitude toward the girls’ dance, it’s important to note that this transformation differs from the parental perspective shift in ” How to Train Your Dragon’s shift in the dragons’ parents’ perspective toward their young, nor is it identical to Po’s evolution in martial arts and mindset in Kung Fu Panda. The latter examples depict a shift from state A to state B, where B is entirely new. In “Despicable Me,” however, it’s difficult to say whether Gru’s inner warmth, sense of responsibility, and justice existed even during his despicable phase. I feel he deliberately concealed this kinder side—his B-side—out of a rebellious need to prove something, allowing only his despicable A-side to surface. The three girls merely brought his B-side from a latent state to a manifest one, allowing his deeply buried affection to surface.
As the saying goes, the deeper it’s hidden, the deeper the love. What lies buried profoundly is often a person’s most precious possession. Precisely because it’s so scarce, it’s selfishly concealed and cherished all the more.
From this perspective, rather than viewing the film as depicting transformation, it reveals a profound duality within human nature—a coexistence of baseness and tenderness, a childhood deprived of maternal love yet capable of offering paternal affection in adulthood, a master thief who is also a doting father. This duality isn’t confined to Gru alone. The orphanage teacher is both stern and motherly, caring for every child. When the children are bullied, she’ll slap the bully across the face! The slightly older girl also has two sides: she craves love yet fears it—because she fears losing it. Thus, the delicate coexistence of humanity’s dual sides is the key to interpreting this animation.
Let us return to the yellow Minions. They represent another innovative hallmark of the film: transforming the typical supporting characters into stylized, adorable, mass-produced, and symbolic figures, enhancing both visual impact and merchandising potential. Of course, when Gru primarily displays his despicable side, these adorable capsule creatures effectively serve as a buffer against that despicability. They make his villainy less hateful, allowing audiences to feel that the protagonist must surely be a loving person to coexist with such a group of adorable little creatures.
It must be said that the film’s script is exceptionally well-crafted, with a story that is almost flawlessly complete. However, I personally feel there are a couple of minor shortcomings. First, the head of the Villain Bank didn’t receive the punishment he deserved. Second, for a family, having just a stay-at-home dad isn’t enough—maternal love is crucial. I always thought Gru and the orphanage teacher would end up together. Or perhaps if the film had woven in some resolution to Gru’s personal issues alongside his theft career, it might have been even more compelling.
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