Rugrats in Paris

Rugrats in Paris: The Movie is the second of three animated movies based on the Nickelodeon cartoon Rugrats, released between the show's seventh and eighth seasons on television. Topping the introduction of Tommy's brother Dil in The Rugrats Movie, three new series regulars make their debut in this film, as you'll see from the description. It received just as much positive reception as its predecessor, though Your Mileage May Vary on whether or not it is better than the first movie (it certainly wasn't in terms of box office gross).

The plot here is that Chuckie realizes he has an empty void in his life left by the death of his mom, and he finds that he wants a new mom. Meanwhile, a Reptar robot that Tommy's dad Stu made for Paris theme park EuroReptarland (during a 3-part episode of the series that leads into this movie) malfunctions, so he is called to come there for repairs, and he brings all the kids' families with him.

Over in Paris, we meet our villain, Coco LaBouche, and her smarmy sidekick Jean-Claude. Coco is looking to be promoted to president of the Reptar company once her boss, Mr. Yamaguchi, retires. Since Yamaguchi is looking for a candidate who "has the heart of a child", Coco lies to him, saying she adores children and is engaged to a man with a child of his own. When Coco catches Angelica having been eavesdropping on her, Angelica offers to help set her up with Chuckie's dad, Chaz. Coco then pretends to take interest in Chaz and gradually wins him over, but has little luck trying to bond with Chuckie (especially since she shows her True Colors to the kids behind Chaz's back). During their Parisian adventure, the Rugrats meet a girl their age, Kimi Watanabe, and her mother, Kira, an assistant of Coco's, who herself develops a mutual romantic interest in Chaz. (Not to give away the movie's ending, but suffice to say, the fact that they're two of the new characters debuting here should tell you how it turns out.) Also, Tommy's dog Spike falls for a poodle named Fifi. (This isn't particularly relevant to the plot, but since Fifi also becomes a series regular, it probably needed to be mentioned.)

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Tropes used in Rugrats in Paris include:

• Award Bait Song: "When You Love." If the ethereal voice of Sinead O'Connor doesn't get to you, the place in the movie it plays: a dance for kids and their moms, where Chuckie is all alone...
  • "I Want A Mom That Will Last Forever" by Cyndi Lauper playing in the airplane as well is very moving.
• Bait The Dog: For a moment, it seems that Coco is reaching out to Chuckie. But she then attempts to steal his teddy bear.
• Big No: Chuckie lets one out when he bursts into the church. Notably, this later turns into a running gag on the series - "No" is the only word he can say to the grown-ups.
• Birds Of A Feather: While Kimi and Chuckie themselves have noticeable differences in their personality, Chaz and Kira are both shown to be a lot alike. In addition, Kira sympathizes with Chuckie. This is likely why they tie the knot.
• Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Both Angelica and Coco play this trope real good. Coco's even worse though.
• Child-Hater: Coco LaBouche. Unfortunately for her, Mr. Yamaguchi wants a replacement for him that doesn't hate children.
• Comic Book Adaptation: Besides a full-length graphic novel adaptation, the Rugrats newspaper strip did a two-week storyline tying in with this movie.
• Colon Cancer: The full title is the extremely convoluted "Rugrats in Paris: The Movie: Rugrats II".
• Companion Cube: Wawa, Chuckie's teddy bear. Unfortunately, Coco wants it burned.
• Cousin Oliver: Kimi this time, since this is her introduction.
• Culture Clash: The Reptarland theme park, something which is commented on by Chaz and Stu.
• Did Not Do the Research: In real life, only Stu would've actually gone to Paris on such short notice, though it’s possible he misunderstood Kira. More here. Then again, the events of the movie probably wouldn't happen if only he was invited.
  • It is possible for Spike and Fifi to enter France and America legally respectively. There are laws regarding that though.
  • During the "Chuckie Chan" scene, Chuckie's alter ego (based on Jackie Chan) is depicted as Japanese. Jackie Chan is from Hong Kong and Chan is a Cantonese/Mandarin name.
    • This may have been intentional given the heavy Japanese presence in the film (Kira, Kimi, Mr. Yamaguchi, the Princess, and Reptarland in general). Chuckie is just a baby who wants to be strong so he probably was influenced by the location.
• Disappeared Dad: Kimi's father doesn't show in the film, thought it's implied through divorce.
• The Dragon: Jean Claude to Coco, despite mutual dislike between the two.
• Everything's Better with Bob: "The Bobfather".
• Faux Affably Evil: Coco can act nice in public, but it's all just an act, especially when she's around Chaz. Chaz notes that she wasn't the woman that he thought she was.
• For Want Of A Nail: If Angelica hadn’t informed Coco that she could use Chaz to get what she wants, she probably wouldn’t have been able to carry her ruse as far as she did. Though at the same time, Chaz might not have hooked up with Kira.
• Happily Married: Chaz and Kira at the end of the movie.
• Hero Antagonist: Kira briefly, when she sends the ninjas to return the babies to Coco and Chaz. It was for their own safety...but they weren't aware of that.
• Humiliation Conga: Upon the Rugrats exposing Coco's plot, Chaz calls off the wedding, Yamaguchi fires her for attempting to trick Chaz into marrying her and lying about loving him and Chuckie, and Angelica tears her dress to expose her underpants. And then there's either one of the two Stingers...
  • Angelica is the one who plots with Coco and ends up getting imprisoned with all the kids, then being left behind by the Reptar mech, knocked off a bridge when it crashes through it, clings for dear life on his nostril, gets sprayed with imitation boogers, gripped in his hand, tossed up the Eiffel Tower, thrown into his mouth, swung round trying to climb a ladder, and so on and so forth.
• Humongous Mecha: Reptar and Robosnail.
• I See London: Coco in the end. It's even quoted by Jean-Claude!
• Late Arrival Spoiler: If you haven't seen the movie already, then hopefully you haven't also seen the episodes of the show that came after it.
• Medium Blending: One of those rare South Korean/North American instances (Grimsaem and Rhythm and Hues in this case).
• Me Love You Long Time: Chaz being Happily Married to Kira at the end of the movie. No Unfortunate Implications, and it's rather cute.
• My Name Is Not Durwood: Coco leaves Chaz a gift (a golden inhaler) with a note addressing him as "Chad". This of course is a hint that she doesn’t actually love him.
• Name's the Same / One Steve Limit exception: Coco's sidekick Jean-Claude happens to have the same name as a French kid Angelica, ironically enough, briefly fell for on the show once. People probably wouldn’t fall for movie Jean Claude though.
• Never Trust a Trailer: The theatrical trailer includes a bit where Angelica demands to know which of the babies put a pooped diaper in her suitcase, falls over due to her platform shoes, and Phil comments that "someone got up on the wrong side of the bread". There is no such scene in the movie, although Phil's line pops up on a different scene (referring to a mean sterwardess rather than Angelica).
  • Also, the shot of Spike urinating on the Eiffel Tower and the Rugrats using the Reptar bot are shown happening in daylight rather than nighttime and dusk as in the actual film.
• Not So Above It All: When the Rugrats get in a food fight (or should we say cake fight), the adults eventually join in.
• Parental Abandonment: Chuckie's mom and Kimi's dad. Only Chuckie's mom's absence is explained.
• Parental Bonus: Not that many small children are going to get the references to The Godfather, which are clearly there for the parents/older siblings in the audience.
• Sequel Goes Foreign
• Spell My Name with an "S": Press releases for the film spelled Kimi's name with two Ms.
• Shout-Out: The opening scene mimics The Godfather, complete with a stylized Rugrats II title card.
  • Since Reptar is already an Expy for Godzilla, a Japanese creation, it was only natural that the Reptarland park had heavy Japanese influence. And to hammer it home, the climax features Stu's giant Reptar robot (controlled by the babies) battling Robo-Snail (controlled by Jean-Claude).
    • The scene where Reptar has Angelica in his hand while hanging high up on the Eiffel Tower has mirrors King Kong.
• The Stinger: Not in the movie itself, but the DVD contains two different bonus clips showing what probably happened to Coco and Jean-Claude (which is being stuck either loading passengers into the "Ooey Gooey World" ride or testing underarm deodorants).
• Tempting Fate: When Kira states she’s going to tell Chaz the truth about his wedding with Coco and that there’s nothing she can do to stop that, Coco replies with “Except throw you out on the curb!” and pushes her out of the vehicle. She then has her employee make sure Kira doesn’t get to attend the wedding in case she somehow makes it to Notre Dame.
• Trailers Always Spoil: Quote Don LaFontaine in the theatrical trailer: "And introducing the newest Rugrat, Kimi!"
  • Let's not forget the fact that Chuckie gets a mother, but then again that's the other half of the main plot so...
• Ungrateful Bastard: Coco doesn’t care that Angelica helped her with her scheme, Angeica’s still going to the warehouse to the babies.
• Wedding Smashers