I can't lie. I haven't seen the 26 minute 1960's short of the Grinch in close to ten or fourteen years. I know that if I watched it today, it is something that I would like and it is something I liked back in the day. Ron Howard's more recent Grinch movie is one I haven't seen since the early 2000's and has a lot going for it. That said, it seems like it is lacking somewhat and should have been better.
This is the classic story of the chubby green Grinch who tries to destroy the Christmas spirit by stealing the presents and Christmas decorations from the people of a town called Whoville. Throughout this, the Grinch does eventually discover the Christmas spirit and learns to love this holiday.
It was a very interesting idea making the Grinch a live action movie. It works really well with the land of Whoville depicted with beautiful style and imagery. The film beautifully captures snow, a mountain and everything in between with this live action technique.
Considering the earlier version, obviously this is a familiar plot. It has a good setup that does well with it's running time, gives an interesting perspective on Christmas and has some decent music. There is also a cliche-type ending that does include a good message. That said, there is a sleigh concept here that is never really explained. All in all, the plot is kind of a mixed bag.
As the main character in the film, the Grinch sure does provide a lot of everything here. Jim Carrey offers up a very quirky and wild performance and he works well with Taylor Momsen who plays Cindy Lou in the film. The Grinch itself also looks really well put together. On the other hand, the laughs are sometimes a bit lacking and after an hour and a half of Jim Carrey's Grinch, the shtick gets a little old.
What gets lost in the middle is all the soft highlights. Anthony Hopkins does a great job with narration and there is an interesting back story with the Grinch that is original and fun. As with a lot of films, sometimes it is the little things things like this that make or break a film. In this case, they add to the film.
I do think though that there are some missed opportunities in this film. For just one example, there is no explanation of where the police are in this town. The little people in the town are also kind of interesting but not really explained.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a film that has it's heart in the right place but it is somewhat inconsistent and there seem to be things missed in the middle so in the end it is kind of a disappointing ride.
3/5
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