Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death - A Movie Review

We have to get this bread delivered before it gets cold.

Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death is a 2008 short film. The duo are now bakers. Wallace is in love with Piella Bakewell, the Bake-o-Lite girl from the commercials. When a murder case is brought to their attention, Gromit surges into protection mode when he finds out who it is.

I was so ecstatic to watch A Matter of Loaf and Death that I could not sit still the first time I watched it. Wallace and Gromit have been popular among audiences for a long time. Rewatching this short, A Matter of Loaf and Death is not the strongest of the franchise.

This is Wallace’s worst characterization in a Wallace and Gromit short. He started off as this intelligent man and then turned into (as described by one of the characters) a bag of bricks. He is oblivious to the smallest details that it hurts.

I also dislike the way he treats Gromit in this episode. Why would he believe that Gromit would bite anyone? He is the most loyal dog. He actually goes through with punishing Gromit by muzzling, and chaining him up! I frowned when I watched this episode and it even made me feel sad. Anger is out of character for Wallace.

This is not Wallace. He is unhelpful, barely capable of keeping himself alive in the climax, and some of his dialogue made me cringe. In the upcoming Wallace and Gromit short, I want Wallace’s original depiction back. It bothered me how he just laughs everything off by the end like it was nothing.

It’s no surprise that Piella is the villain of the short. Though, I will say that Piella is one of the most menacing villains in one of these shorts. I liked all the romantic moments she had with Wallace, like their tango dance. Sally Lindsay did a great job performing as Piella’s voice actress.

The best part about this short is the relationship between Gromit and Fluffles. We see a side of Gromit that we have never seen, and I like it. I could not stop smiling at their flirting moments. My favorite moment in this short is when they have a little bonding moment over a ‘Doggy Osment’ record.

Fluffles is one of the best characters. She has so much backstory based on the implied abuse. I really hope that she appears in the new short.

Clay animation has come a long way in the Wallace and Gromit shorts. The action scenes are exciting. Nick Park is willing to experiment on anything to make each Wallace and Gromit short unique compared to the last. The bakery was a good angle. He is really good at emotions and finding the tone in each scene.

However, there are too many references to other films. It felt like Park was struggling to come up with original ideas for this short. The story was also rushed and it lacked subtly compared to the other short films.

It’s also the darkest short. The serial killer scenario goes a little too far. Some scenes may scare little kids. As I mentioned, abuse is implied.

For me, A Matter of Loaf and Death is the weakest installment of the Wallace and Gromit franchise. As excited as I am for the upcoming short, I want it to return to its original light-hearted comedy depicting the healthy friendship between the duo.

Catch the Wallace and Gromit shorts on Amazon Prime. You don’t want to miss out on these shorts. They’re excellent entertainment for kids.