Rating:
There was no way How the Grinch Stole Christmas was going to be anything but disappointing. Dr. Seuss’ classic book is beloved by generations of people. The 1966 animated television adaptation translated the story perfectly to the screen; in fact, it’s probably supplanted the original book as the first thing that springs to most people’s minds when you talk about the Grinch. For that matter, it’s probably the first thing that springs to mind for many people at the mention of Christmas.

So in a way this picture was fighting a battle it couldn’t possibly win. It could, however, have been disappointing by comparison but still good enough. Alas, that’s not the case.

I should probably say right off that, while the movie isn’t a good one, the fault doesn’t lie with Jim Carrey in the title role. That may shock you, as I make no secret of my disdain for Carrey’s style. This, however, is just the sort of role that’s suited to his screen persona: a cartoon character made flesh. Carrey brings the right level of energy to the Grinch: cartoonish, but actually toned down a bit from the insanity of the roles that initially brought him fame.

Where, then, to point the finger? Foremost, the problem is one of tone. This is a loud and vulgar movie (vulgar not in the sense of indecent but of lacking in distinction or aesthetic value) that replaces the charm of the story and cartoon with frantic garishness. The look of the piece is wrong, too. It actually captures much of the sensibility of Dr. Seuss’ illustrations, but his was a style best confined to drawings. When adapted to real, flesh and blood people, all the characters, Whos and Grinch alike, end up being very unsettling indeed.

The story, the particulars of which are so well known to us all, is naturally expanded to meet the requirements of a feature film. One of these expansions is an unfortunate detour into the Grinch’s past. We learn that he’s so mean and hates Christmas because, at one long-ago holiday gift exchange, everyone laughed at him when he gave a homemade gift to the Who-gal he was crushing on.

Instead of deepening our understanding of the Grinch as a character (not that we particularly needed such a thing), this only makes the Grinch’s turn at picture’s end less satisfying. Reclaiming the emotions and passions of youth at Christmas is all well and good for Ebenezer Scrooge, but How the Grinch Stole Christmas is perfect as a simple A to B story, where a thoroughly despicable dude is reformed and made jolly solely through the awesome power of holiday love. Seeing the Grinch as a jilted little boy makes his transformation seem inevitable and therefore less powerful.

The movie isn’t completely without merit. Among the songs are a couple good ones—though they are the ones brought over from the TV special. The scenes where the Grinch is alone with his dog in his Mount Crumpit lair are the film’s strongest. It’s so out of character for me to say this that it bears repeating: Jim Carrey’s performance is the lone bright spot in an otherwise undistinguished film.

There’s no need for you to spend your time watching this movie this Christmas season. When it comes to the Grinch, we all know which one is essential.

A THOUGHT ON THE GRINCH: In all tellings of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, all the Whos wear clothes while the Grinch struts around starkers. Should we all be scandalized?

If You Hated This, You Will Also Totally Hate:

• How the Grinch Stole Christmas
• I Hope Books Still Exist
• Horton Hears a Who!
• Intensely Retarded Christmas Memories
• What’s the Deal With Jim Carrey?