Only see Grinch at a pinch
The Grinch (G, 90 mins) Directed by Yarrow Cheney and Scott Mosier Reviewed by James Croot ★★★
Third time definitely isn’t quite the charm for adaptations of Dr Seuss’ beloved Christmas tale. Following in the footsteps of the beloved 1966 Chuck Jonesanimated TV version and Jim Carrey’s oddly endearing 2000 take, this Grinch follows the Illumination Entertainment template a little too closely to truly inspire.
While there’s plenty of Seussianinspired mayhem and wordplay taken directly from the original 1957 book How the Grinch Stole Christmas, it’s sometimes buried under thick layers of cookie-cutter schmaltz and predictable modernday animated storytelling.
Like Despicable Me, we have a scheming curmudgeon with a diabolical plan and adorable moppets aiming to change his mind. The travails of motherhood and the legacy of childhood trauma are borrowed from Sing and there are enough scene-stealing animals here (admittedly some of them delightful) to populate a whole new instalment of The Secret Life of Pets.
For those unfamiliar with the story, it focuses on a green-furred hermit (voiced by Sherlock’s Benedict Cumberbatch) whose hatred of Christmas has grown exponentially in the 53 years he has lived in close proximity to the town of Whoville.
‘‘A town like your town, if your town was a dream’’, the residents can’t get enough of the festive season, devoting three whole weeks to its celebration every year.
But the current mayor’s decision to triple their efforts, coupled with a severe bout of emotional eating forcing the Grinch into town at the worstpossible time, finally drives our anti-hero past breaking point.
His solution? Take a little inspiration from Santa Claus, and relieve Whoville of all their presents and Christmas trappings in the early hours of the big day. But what he hasn’t reckoned on is a big-hearted little girl who is determined to capture the man in the big red suit so she can ask him to help her struggling single mum.
For all its faults, there is a lot to like about The Grinch as diverting holiday season entertainment though.
The animation is top-notch and unlikely to cause half as many nightmares as Carrey and company’s grotesque prosthetics.
Likewise, Pharrell Williams is an entertaining narrator, while Danny Elfman evokes memories of his work with Tim Burton (particularly on The Nightmare Before Christmas) with an eclectic score and soundtrack that includes tunes by Tyler, the Creator and The Brian Setzer Orchestra.
And while most of Whovillians aren’t exactly memorable, Cumberbatch brings the right tone of cynicism and decades of hurt feelings to the eponymous Grinch (there’s a hint of Larry David about his take).