Christmas has come early for moviegoers this year, as director Ron Howard has brought audiences an early holiday treat in Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Jim Carrey stars as the title character in this live-action adaptation of the famous children’s tale.
The basic plot of Dr. Seuss’ Christmas fable is well-known to most: the ghastly, green Grinch lives above the peaceful and Christmas-loving town of Whoville, and to the dismay of the town’s residents, the Grinch despises Christmas. The audience is told early in the film that the reason for the Grinch’s extreme animosity toward Christmas may well be that his heart is “three sizes too small.”
While the original Seuss story was the perfect length for the beloved 1966 Chuck Jones cartoon of the same name, a feature-length film calls for a longer and more developed plot. This is where screenwriters Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman came in, creatively filling in the gaps dealing with the Grinch’s troubled childhood and giving more personality to the Whos of Whoville.
It was a wise move on the part of the screenwriters to give the audience reasons for the Grinch’s distaste for Christmas, as this helps the audience develop compassion for the character, despite his disgusting looks and actions. Anthony Hopkins’ distinct and stately voice smoothly narrates the action of the movie in typical Seuss fashion, rife with rhyme and imaginative new words.
Carrey has a knack for disappearing into his roles. That quality has never been more evident than it is in The Grinch. Carrey, covered in pounds of latex, green makeup and hair, truly transforms into the Grinch and has a lot of fun with his new identity.
In this movie, Carrey proves he is among the greatest comedic actors of his generation by sublimely mixing physical comedy, improvisation and one-liners.
Sounding a little like Sean Connery, Carrey continually rants about Christmas and the Whos, and even gets the opportunity to lampoon Ron Howard in a particularly humorous scene.
The adorable Taylor Momsen plays Cindy Lou Who, the only Who in Whoville who believes the Grinch can have a change of heart if only he is shown a little compassion. Other notable supporting performances are turned in by Jeffrey Tambor as Mayor May Who and Christine Baranski as the Martha Stewart-esque Martha May Whovier.
Howard created a wonderfully magical Seussian world for this film. Whoville is splendidly decorated with colorful Christmas adornments that seem to pop off the screen, while the Grinch’s lair is dingy, dark and dirty. The set and costume designers had a lot of money with which to work, and it shows in the movie’s fantastic sets and vibrantly ornate costumes. Carrey’s makeup is a spectacle all its own, as the actor was transformed by a large team of makeup artists into the hairy, filthy Grinch.
The Grinch proves to be a funny, entertaining holiday film that the whole family can enjoy. Children will love the marvelous visuals and familiar story, while older audiences will enjoy Carrey’s dominating comedic performance and numerous in-jokes. Carrey’s brilliant performance, a familiar family-friendly story and stunning visuals provide the formula for a thoroughly entertaining moviegoing experiences. B+