Dear Readers,
It has been a while. I have no excuse... I just haven't been writing, however, I would like to get back into practice. I am going to try for a weekly blog over the holiday season with a short movie review based on what I saw that week. As such, these may not be as detailed as my previous posts, so be compassionate and keep that in mind as you read.
Dr. Seuss' The Grinch
I am starting off my weekly reviews for the holiday season with a film that I believe will become a holiday tradition, Dr. Seuss' The Grinch. Retelling the story of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, this film is a typical, schmaltz filled holiday flick that brings warm fuzzies to the entire family.
While following the outline of the classic story is the same, the film gives enough background about the characters to make them interesting without overwhelming the audience with "tragic backstory," which helps keep the environment of the film light and playful. For example; when we meet Donna Who (Cindy Lou Who's mother) we learn that she is working nights and is a single mom caring for her daughter and twin boys by day. We don't know what happened to the father; he is never mentioned because he is not relevant to the story. Instead of forcing in needless exposition about who he was and what happened to him, we instead get to focus on Donna's struggle to keep up her busy life, and the impact that has on her relationship with Cindy Lou. Similarly, the Grinch's backstory is not given as an excuse for his actions, but rather as an explanation for them, and the lack of details given allows the audience to focus on the Grinch as a character now rather than the "tragedy" of his past.
It is this focus on the present moment for all the characters that makes them so uniquely enjoyable. Cindy Lou isn't worrying about the past or wishing for a time that used to be... she is taking her future in her own hands and working to make her wish come true. The Grinch might be wallowing in his loneliness, but his life is also has some surprisingly positive elements. His relationship with his dog Max is the highlight of the film as you see Max's unconditional love for his master and the Grinch's fondness for the dog and growing awareness of how much Max does. Even when the Grinch's heart is 2 sizes too small, he still has room for affection Max (and later for the reindeer, Fred), which makes him a much more relatable character. Sure he may be a surly, crotchety loner who never learned good social skills, but ultimately, the seeds of his final transformation are already present.
While the character development is solid, and the pacing of the story is good, where this story really shines is in the visuals. Seuss' works are always a challenge to present because he created such unique and dynamic worlds. This film, however, takes full advantage of the oddity of those worlds without letting the setting overwhelm the story. Whoville is a fantastically constructed Christmas wonderland, the action scenes of the Grinch going in to town and grocery shopping and of Cindy Lou trying to mail her letter to Santa are brilliantly done, and the story's climax, where the Grinch steals Christmas is an extravaganza of well balanced tension and eclectic invention that is pure Suess. The great visuals are also enhanced by well chosen music that is used emphasize the humor, tension, or drama of particular scenes to great effect.
All in all, Dr. Seuss' The Grinch is a well crafted film that pays homage to the three different versions that came before while also bringing a delightful Christmas spirit that entertains all ages. While not exceptional or profound, this film embodies the positive outlook and homely comforts of the season while also presenting a whimsical world full of imagination and creativity.
Well, Back to Reality
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