Well, everyone, because it’s the month of December, I thought it might be fun to rewatch, and review a Christmas-themed movie. In this case, I figured it would be one that’s based off of a classic children’s story that was written by the famous children’s author, known as Dr. Seuss. Oh, and did I forget to mention that this children’s book has, thus far, been adapted into a Christmas TV special in the 1960s, a live-action version from the early 2000s, and an animated film that was released by Universal Pictures, and Illumination back in 2018? Well, in this case, we will be looking at the live-action version that was released back in 2000. So now, let’s go to the land of Whoville to review, and discuss the 2000 adaptation of this story, Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas, starring Jim Carrey as the title character himself.
Plot: In the land of Whoville, there live a group of people called the Whos, who love Christmas to death, and do well with getting into the spirit of the holiday. That is with the exception of one child named Cindy Lou (Taylor Momsen), after feeling like Christmas should be about more, and hearing about a creature called The Grinch (voiced by Jim Carrey) who, years before, was exiled to a nearby mountainside near the town of Whoville after getting judged by the townspeople, and causing a series of mishaps. After Cindy eventually meets the Grinch, the question remains, can she help the Grinch realize what Christmas is about, as well as convince the residents of Whoville to give The Grinch a second chance?
Now, I of course remember seeing this film when it first came out in theaters back in 2000, and enjoying it a lot, followed by rewatching it a few times on video, and still enjoying it for the script, especially when it came to Jim Carrey’s hilarious performance as The Grinch. After finally rewatching Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas for the first time in a long while years later, is it as great as I remembered it back in years like 2000, and 2001, for instance? Well, it is still very good, at least aside from a couple potential issues. Let’s start off with some of the flaws that this film has, shall we? First of all, there were a couple scenes in this film that may likely be a little too inappropriate even for a PG-rated movie. Additionally, the way that the human characters in Whoville were designed may have felt a little creepy, and weird. I don’t know if that’s because this film was live-action, or some other reason. You got me. Finally, there were some characters that came off as rather mean-spirited, cruel, and not that likable overall. Okay, look, I understand that most films, even family ones are supposed to have potential so-called villains, and things like that. However, in this case with the Mayor, if you can call him a villain, the way it was executed probably wasn’t the best.
Now, for the good elements in this film. To begin, there’s the score by James Horner (God rest his soul, as he apparently passed away in 2015, and left behind a legacy of really fun films to score for such as Braveheart, Apollo 13, An American Tail, The Land Before Time, and many other films). Like many other composers, especially ones like Alan Menken, John Williams, and Hans Zimmer, for example, James Horner really seems to know how to pull at your heartstrings. How The Grinch Stole Christmas is no exception. It’s beautiful, sad at points, and things like that. There is also the cinematography in this film. Honestly, especially when there are sunrises, the visuals are astonishing. Considering that this film was released way before more recent years when 3D became a thing for regular movies that have been released in movie theaters, that’s probably saying something, wouldn’t you say? Oh, and the way that have beautiful shots of the sun coming out from behind the clouds, scenes like those make this film very much worth seeing. Oh, and, of course, there’s the acting, especially from Jim Carrey, who voices The Grinch himself. Let me tell you, if you liked other films with Jim Carrey playing a main role like The Mask, Ace Ventura, The Mask, Bruce Almighty, or films like those, you’ll most definitely love How The Grinch Stole Christmas as well. Carrey most definitely puts life humor, and a unique personality overall to the character. What’s more is that The Grinch, and actor Jim Carrey truly do steal the show for this film. I’m not sure if this film would have been as good as it was if it wasn’t for The Grinch’s banter, and maybe even Jim Carrey adding impromptu lines in the script for this film. Then, there are some rather interesting symbolic moments for this film, most notably when it comes to The Grinch’s character arc for this film. Additionally, in addition to The Grinch having a great amount of character development, the human child, Cindy Lou Who, also has a great amount of personality, and depth to her character overall as well. Due to her having love, and compassion for those who are alone at one point, especially for The Grinch, both children, and adults alike could learn some valuable lessons from her character. Finally, this film most definitely can serve as a great allegory of what Christmas is truly about. Granted, Jesus’ birth may never be mentioned in this film. Then again, this is a fantasy world, and a fantasy story. So, I guess there’s that as well. Either way, seeing as this film can serve as a good reminder that Christmas is not about gifts, parties, or things like those (though, those are still good), that could make one appreciate this film even more, you know?
And that’s my review of the live-action version of How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Well, even if this film may have a couple issues, the film most definitely makes for a delightful treat to watch around the time of Thanksgiving through Christmas. With Jim Carrey bringing the laughs, and Taylor Momsen bringing about a female child character that has the character of a child, and playing one that has love, and compassion for others, this movie is most definitely a must-see. It has great lessons, some of the most beautiful shots, a good majority of characters that are likable, despite some of them not being likable in the beginning, and more. If you haven’t seen this live-action version of The Grinch, than most definitely do so. Not does it follow the original children’s story, but most definitely puts a modern twist on it that make this film worthwhile even more. Definitely see the live-action version of How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and you may either see Christmas differently, and learn some valuable lessons from this movie overall.
Final Grade: B+
Matthew’s Animated & Live-Action Movie Reviews 