Kids' movies are a delicate art. The perfect balance of kiddy humor, loud enough sound effects to override the crying babies in the audience, moral content handled with the care of an atomic bomb, and clever nudge-winks to the parents are imperative to make it a success.

Despicable Me takes a few scenes to find its groove, but kiddos will love it from the very first appearance of our oddly proportioned anti-hero. Gru (Steve Carell) is a career villain. He hits Starbucks in the morning, has a professional relationship with the Bank of Evil (formerly known as Lehman Brothers, nudge-wink), and employs several hundred tiny, yellow Minions.

So, Gru is understandably upset when a younger, faster, substantially more annoying villain (Jason Segel) comes along and pulls off the crime of the century. Gru has to get back on top, so he plans the heist to end all heists. He is going to steal the moon. He just needs to get into Vector's pad to steal back his shrink ray and the plan is good to go.

Unfortunately, Vector's place is armed to the nines. Gru deduces that the only way to gain access is to adopt three little girls selling orphan cookies and sneak some cookie-shaped robots into the boxes to help him break in from the inside. Remember, it's a kid's movie.

Enter Margo, Edith, and Agnes. Whoever developed these three not only gets kids, but has an inherent understanding of siblings. Dropping these very realistic children into Gru's suburban villain lair unfolds into appropriately hilarious consequences, especially when they get a hold of his weaponry and his "dog." As one of them observes early on in the adoption process — bald as he may be, Gru ain't no Daddy Warbucks.

This article appears in Jul 8-14, 2010.