Talkie Tuesday: The Grinch

"You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch ..."

Hello everyone!

So alright, this isn't a movie you'd expect in February. 

And contrary to popular belief, I'm not really going to be watching Christmas movies now, either. This one is sort of an anomaly.

More or less.

I honestly wasn't even going to watch it this season, but I was bored out of my mind this Sunday afternoon, I'd already tried my hand with the new Robin Hood take (review forthcoming) and I was in need of some Cumberbatch pick-me-up.

I might have done better had I chosen Sherlock.

But alas, my choice for Sunday afternoon was not, in fact, the famous sleuth.

So without much more further ado, let's go see what's making everyone green.

The Grinch, of course.

Now before I say anything else, I should mention that I have never read Dr. Seuss's story, and have never seen the cartoon from the 60s/70s (I'd have to check for the correct date honestly). So yes, I may be woefully lacking in Grinch representation.

That being said, however, I HAVE seen Jim Carrey's version of the movie. 

You know which one I'm talking about. It also includes Christine Baranski and Anthony Hopkins as the narrator, so in case you have NOT, in fact, seen it yet ... what are you waiting for???

Ahem.

Really then, the only thing I had to compare this newest version to was Jim Carrey, and I have to say it might have been a rather poor roundout, if not for the fact that I was sort of looking forward to it. Benedict Cumberbatch has a very distinctive voice that's gotten him many roles in Hollywood (his talent did too, obviously, but his voice, people, HIS VOICE), so I knew when he was headlined as the one and only green grouch, I'd probably enjoy this.

Weeeeeeell.

More on that later.

The story goes like this:

it's right before Christmas (duh) and the Whos down in Whoville are anxiously preparing for it, including one Cindy Lou who's mother is a single working mom, working by night and taking care of her kids (Cindy has two baby brothers in this one) by day. Meanwhile, up on the mountain, Grinch discovers he's going to have to go shopping, the horror of horrors (and don't we ALL feel the same way right before the holidays? Stores are a nightmare!). Someone also apparently had a thing for Grinch not having any obvious pants in previous iterations, because this one is in undies until he pulls a green pair from the wardrobe (he looks pantless with those, but, you know, principle, I suppose ...).

So anyway, Grinch has to go shopping, tries to avoid a Who who thinks he's his best friend (hint: no he ain't), gets taken out by an inflatable snowman (seriously?) and finally makes it back to his lonely hidey-hole up on the mountain top (also who taught him to play the organ?).

At this point in the movie, I'm wondering where all the Who Christmas craziness has gone to. The thing I distinctly remember from the live-action movie was JUST HOW CRAZY THEY WERE. Like, think Christmas crazy nowadays times a hundred. Here, it was a normal kind of day, except for some weird stalker carolers, and even with them being normal-ish I might never have known it was Christmas.

The one BIG thing was a HUGE CHRISTMAS TREE.

Which seems to be the last straw for the Grinch, and he goes to a) find a reindeer to pull his sleigh and b) grab the sleigh from the roof of his would-be BFF who's going for 'most hideously decorated house' this Christmas.

You get what I'm saying.

With the fattest reindeer ever (Fred) and Max, his faithful doggy (who's on much better terms with old Grinch in this than the live-action movie, seeing as Max gets PETS and stuff!), they manage to abscond with the sleigh, Grinch pimps it up, and after Fred hikes off with his wife and kid, Max takes on the role of reindeer, and Grinch goes to steal Chistmas pretending to be the Man in Red.

Which he does, after a conversation with Cindy Lou, who's sole purpose the entire movie has been to talk to Santa Claus, and ask him to help her mom out.

So in the morning, sans presents or anything of the sort, the Whos gather round the big ass Christmas tree, deciding they only need each other, and sing their little Whohearts out.

The Grinch repents hearing this, and returns their presents and everything he'd stolen (after getting saved by Fred and his family), then goes back to the mountain, ashamed. He does give Max a gift though (squeaky bone toy, the joy), and later gets invited to dinner by Cindy Lou, which he eventually attends, and admits he hated Christmas not for Christmas itself, but because he was angry and alone.

Why was he alone? Well, he grew up in a Who orphanage and was never adopted and never got any presents or trees or whatnot.

And in a credit scene thing, we see Max and Grinch helping out Cindy Lou's mom, and around Whoville.

FIN

Boy, was this underwhelming.

I didn't even go into it with high expectations, but I was just ... left wanting? I mean, from what I understand, the Grinch's sole purpose is that he hates Christmas. But in this particular movie, you don't even get the feeling it actually IS Christmas, and this isn't just because of the time I watched it during. There's just no insanity! No bells! No lights! No ... no nothing!

In comparison to the live-action, this is surprisingly tame, and even my little hometown goes a whole lot more Christmas crazy than the Whos did in this one.

The gags with Grinch and his furry companions were funny, but outside of that ... Cumberbatch had a bright idea to speak with an American accent, which is fine, but I think it was the cause for his voice going higher-pitched than his normal one, and I never would have known it was him if I didn't see his name written out. Which is a shame, because he was my main motivation for wanting to watch this, and he sort of ... disappeared, which doesn't usually happen to the man.

The story was apparently written to make Grinch more instantly relatable or likeable or something, giving him an actual relationship with Max and making him seem more sad than angry, but the thing is, the live-action didn't do any of those things, and he was likeable! Because Grinch points out that Christmas isn't about capitalism, it's about love and family and togetherness.

The message might have been the same in this one, but it was woefully watered down for me. Not to mention the songs! Where were the songs???

Also, I'm sorry Pharrell Williams, but you got nuffin on Sir Anthony Hopkins.

xx

*images and video not mine