The Grinch
From AwardAnnals
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| Director(s) | Ron Howard |
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| Distributor | Universal Studios |
| Honors | |
| Under a thick carpet of green-dyed yak fur and wonderfully expressive Rick Baker makeup, Jim Carrey is up to all of his old tricks (and some nifty new ones) in this live-action movie of Dr. Seuss’s holiday classic. He commands the title role with equal parts madness, mayhem, pathos, and improvisational genius, channeling Grinchness through his own screen persona so smoothly that fans of both Carrey and Dr. Seuss will be thoroughly satisfied. Adding to the fun is a perfectly pitched back-story sequence (accompanied by Anthony Hopkins’s narration) that explains how… | |
Honors
Reviews
Amazon.com
Under a thick carpet of green-dyed yak fur and wonderfully expressive Rick Baker makeup, Jim Carrey is up to all of his old tricks (and some nifty new ones) in this live-action movie of Dr. Seuss’s holiday classic. He commands the title role with equal parts madness, mayhem, pathos, and improvisational genius, channeling Grinchness through his own screen persona so smoothly that fans of both Carrey and Dr. Seuss will be thoroughly satisfied. Adding to the fun is a perfectly pitched back-story sequence (accompanied by Anthony Hopkins’s narration) that explains how the Grinch came to hate Christmas, with a heart “two sizes too small.” Ron Howard proves a fine choice for the director’s chair with a keen balance of comedy, sentiment, and light-hearted Seussian whimsy. Production designer Michael Corenblith gloriously realizes the wackiness of Whoville architecture, and his rendition of the Grinch’s Mt. Crumpit lair is a marvel of cartoonish, subterranean grime. Then there’s Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen), the thoughtful imp who rallies her village to recapture the pure spirit of Christmas and melts the gift-stealing Grinch’s cold, cold heart. You’ve even got a dog (the Grinch’s good-natured mongrel, Max) who’s been perfectly cast, so what’s not to like about this dazzling yuletide movie? The production gets a bit overwhelmed by its own ambition, and the citizens of Whoville (including Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Baranski, Molly Shannon, and Bill Irwin) pale in comparison to Carrey’s inspired lunacy, but who cares? If a movie can unleash Jim Carrey at his finest, revamp the Grinch story, and still pay tribute to the legacy of Dr. Seuss, you can bet it qualifies as rousing entertainment. (Ages 5 and older.) —Jeff Shannon
Barnes and Noble
Prepare the Roast Beast and get set to feast your eyes on director Ron Howard’s spectacular live-action film of the cherished Dr. Seuss story about a holiday-hating Grinch who tries to put the kibosh on Christmas. Even if the production misses the simple charm of Dr. Seuss’ classic 1957 book or Chuck Jones’s beloved 1966 animated adaptation, it is a dizzying wonder of over-the-top performances and creative set design. Howard’s Whoville makes Blade Runner’s vision of a future Los Angeles look like Mayberry, RFD. Jim Carrey, with an invaluable assist from Oscar-winning makeup maestro Rick Baker, brings the Grinch to roaring, ranting life in a bravura performance. A stellar ensemble cast lends able comic support: Christine Baranski is perfect as the Grinch’s childhood sweetheart; Jeffrey Tambor (Larry Sanders) scores, too, as the mean green one’s lifelong nemesis. Bill Irwin and Molly Shannon are the holiday-harried parents of the adorable Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen), who melts the Grinch’s cold, cold heart, and Anthony Hopkins lends a touch of class as the film’s narrator. Kids will delight in the antics of Max, the Grinch’s dog and reluctant partner-in-crime. The Grinch is a perfect holiday gift, as the DVD offers a sleigh-load of extras, including deleted scenes, a gag outtake reel, segments on the film’s production and character design, a Faith Hill music video, and “Max’s Playhouse,” which contains sing-along, read-along, and play-along activities for children. There is also a special-edition VHS version that comes with a delightful talking Grinch plush toy. Donald Liebenson
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