Movie Review: The Grinch (or Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas)

The Grinch (or Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas) 

Starring: Jim Carrey , Taylor Momsen, Kelley, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Baranski, Bill Irwin, Molly Shannon, Clint Howard, Josh Ryan Evans, Mindy Sterling, Rachel Winfree, Rance Howard, Jeremy Howard, T.J. Thyne, Lacey Kohl, Nadja Pionilla, Jim Meskimen, Anthony Hopkins (voice) 

Director: Ron Howard 

Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment, LUNI Productions GmbH and Company KG, USA, Germany, 2000. 

In the mountains of Pontoos there is a town called Whoville. The Whos love Christmas and spend a lot of money for shopping. Up in the mountains lives naughty Grinch (Jim Carrey) with his dog Max (Kelley). Annoyed by the trespassing Whos, Grinch goes to Whoville and begins to sabotage the Christmas party. Daughter of postman Lou Lou Who (Bill Irwin), little Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen) begins to wonder why Grinch hates Christmas. 

The Grinch

Max the dog (Kelley)

Grinch's romantic interest in the school was Martha May Whovier (Christine Baranski). She tells that Grinch was bullied at school because of his strange looks. Cindy Lou wants to invite Grinch to the Christmas festival. Mayor Augustus Maywho (Jeffrey Tambor) opposes the idea. When Grinch is humiliated in the festival, Grinch gets crazy and steals all the presents. But Grinch and the Who's have to learn the true meaning of the Christmas spirit. 

Lou Lou Who

Cindy Lou Who

Martha May Whovier

Director Ron Howard does a nice job with the classic Dr. Seuss story. Jim Carrey plays his improvised maneuvers manic and energetic as usually, this time behind a thick rubber mask. Also the Whos have some enhanced noses and cheeks. Taylor Momsen is good as adorable Cindy Lou. On the minus side most of the inhabitants of Whoville are quite generic characters, their costumes are imaginative though. The candy-coloured city of Whoville looks a bit Tim Burtonesque. Grinch criticizes the Christmas consumerism, the unwanted presents arrive near Grinch's cave through a garbage chute! Max the dog acts (or at least tries to act) as a kind of Grinch's version of conscience similar to Jiminy Cricket. Being a family film everyone has good time in the end. 

The people of Whoville

Rating: Good