Loosely based on the 1978 children's book of the same name by Judi and Ron Barrett, the film was written for the screen and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.

It stars the voices of Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Andy Samberg, Bruce Campbell, Mr. T, Benjamin Bratt, and Neil Patrick Harris.

The film centers around an aspiring inventor named Flint Lockwood who develops, following a series of failed experiments, a machine that can convert water into food.

Aspiring inventor Flint Lockwood lives with his widowed father Tim and his pet monkey Steve in Swallow Falls, an island in the Atlantic Ocean.

He knocks out his house's power when he attempts to plug in the new device, annoying Tim, who wishes Flint would give up inventing and take over the family tackle and bait business.

In the process, it destroys a new sardine-themed amusement park meant to revitalize the island's economy, angering Mayor Shelbourne and the other townsfolk and disappointing Tim.

As they talk together, cheeseburgers suddenly begin raining from the sky; Flint realizes the FLDSMDFR is functioning successfully in the stratosphere, using the condensation from clouds to create food-based weather systems.

Accompanied by Sam, her cameraman Manny, Steve, and the town's former mascot "Baby" Brent McHale, they approach the FLDSMDFR and discover it has surrounded itself with a giant meatball for protection.

Back in Swallow Falls, the townsfolk evacuate on rafts made of giant food, while Tim stays behind to upload a kill code to Flint's phone.

Realizing that Tim accidentally sent the wrong file, Flint uses a Spray-on Shoe formula to jam the device, causing it and the giant meatball to detonate as he falls back to Earth.

All music is composed by Mark Mothersbaugh except where notedCloudy with a Chance of Meatballs made its world premiere on September 12, 2009, as the main opening headliner of the Mann Village Theatre showcase event in Los Angeles, California.

[17][18] In August 2009, Insight Editions published a companion book to the film called The Art and Making of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

The consensus statement reads, "Quirky humor, plucky characters and solid slapstick make this family comedy a frenetically tasty time at the movies.

[23] Ernest Hardy of LA Weekly stated the film "is smart, insightful on a host of relationship dynamics, and filled with fast-paced action".

[24] Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune gave the film a mixed review stating that "Crazy doesn't always equal funny, and the gigantism of this 3-D offering's second half puts a damper on your enjoyment.

"[25] Sandie Angulo Chen of Common Sense Media gave the film three stars out of five, noting that the "age-appropriate food adventure goes down easily.

Directed by Cody Cameron and Kris Pearn, and it is based on an original idea, where Flint and his friends must again save the world from his food machine, which survived the explosion in the prequel.