Is nothing sacred anymore? The green Grinch of Who-ville lives again, this time it’s live action; and he’s Jim Carrey. Not your first choice when envisioning the bane of Yuletide joy. Surprisingly, Carrey jumped into the act and stole the audience along with it. The movie, after two weeks at the box office, grossed 137.2 million dollars. This staggering figure, along with decent reviews, secured the movie as a financial success and a hit with the masses. The question that remains is, “How does it stack up to the original?”
The original version, first aired in 1966, earned permanent residence in American Christmas nostalgia. Its wonderfully imaginative animation , surreal characters and whimsical and brooding tunes made it a challenge to remake.
The Grinch was portrayed as a despicably loathsome character, and his dog, Max, stole the show with his innocently funny antics and pure heart. The cartoon followed closely to Dr. Seuss’ original book, and it took some artistic license by bringing the story to life.
Christmas spirit and love were central themes throughout the entire show from the gleeful Whos chopping down their Christmas tree to the Grinch’s heart growing three times larger. The cartoon is a masterpiece in its brevity and charm.
The contemporary version is a little longer, the Whos not so surreal; and the mood is a little too Hallmark. Still, the film is enjoyable and Carrey does an excellent job. The entire movie is packed with eye candy, from the dreamlike Who-Ville, to the silly looking props and larger-than-life costumes. However, the movie reeks of commercialism. With obvious product tie-ins with the U.S. Post Office, Kelloggs and innumerable toys and merchandise, it is easy to see the true motivation behind this remake.
The spirit of Christmas and the original story remain. But this time the Jim Carrey steals the scenes from everyone, even his lovable dog and Cindy Lou. There are cute jokes, and Carrey’s physical humor abounds. However, as you sit through the movie, you keep waiting for the Grinch’s transformation that has been a long time coming. After you get through all the added fluff, B-line stories and humor, the spirit of Christmas finally shines through.
After all the fanfare, the merchandising and the big-name director and actors, it leaves you with thought that sometimes less is more, and a little Who named Cindy Lou can change the heart of even the grinchiest disbeliever.
