Hellobee

Over the summer at the movies, I saw the preview for the new Grinch movie featuring Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of the Grinch. It was released during a half day week because of teacher’s conferences, and it was the perfect way to spend a gloomy, rainy November day.

The basic plot line of the movie follows the books — the Grinch hates Christmas and decides to try to steal it by masquerading as Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. But this movie expands on the Grinch’s life, as well as that of the only other named character in the original book, Cindy Lou Who (save the Grinch’s dog Max). The Grinch has stock piled food reserves to avoid going into Whoville for the entirety of Christmas, but alas he finds his cupboards bare. We also meet Cindy Lou Who who lives with her mom and twin baby brothers. Cindy has a letter for Santa where she wishes that her mom, who works and takes care of the three of them alone, would be happier and be able to take things easier.

We learn the Grinch is 53 years old and hates Christmas because he was an orphan who never got to celebrate it. Eventually a plan is hatched by both the Grinch and Cindy Lou. The Grinch, of course, is sick and tired of Christmas and decides to steal it. In the meantime, Cindy Lou and her friends hatch a plan to catch Santa so that Cindy can ask him for her wish. The countdown is on as both sides prepare for their big moment. Cindy catches Santa, who is really the Grinch, and the Grinch completes his mission of stealing Christmas, only to hear the songs rising from Whoville. This causes his heart to grow and him to realize that Christmas is more than just the gifts. In the end the Grinch is invited to Cindy Lou’s home to celebrate and of course carve the roast beast.

While I did like the animation and felt that this Grinch was less scary than the one I recalled when I was a child, it also lacked a little charm that the older version had. The one thing that really bothered me though was that despite having a narrator at points of the story, I don’t believe the movie actually used much of Dr Seuss’ actual text from the book. When the Whos come out of their homes on Christmas, instead of a resounding knowledge that Christmas cannot be taken and is all about the love and joy we feel on that day, Cindy Lou and her friends get upset at the lack of presents, thinking their trap angered Santa. This is the antithesis of the message of the book. The parents reassure the kids and they go on to sing the famous Welcome Christmas song together. But I was most disappointed that they did not use the actual words from the book. I feel they sum up the entire point that The Grinch hadn’t been able to steal Christmas, and”it came just the same.” I felt the message in this movie wasn’t as strong as the book was in teaching that Christmas is a feeling, not an actual thing.

As for my children Drake enjoyed it, Juliet was scared of the Grinch which was no surprise and had a nightmare that night about him, and Fiona climbed up and down the seats, ate popcorn without abandon or tidiness, and chattered to me throughout the movie. While I think it was a fun cute movie and not a bad way to spend the time, I’m not sure this will ever be a classic in the same way the original TV one was.