Gef’s Festive Film Advent Calendar: 17 Dec

17 Dec

How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

*Available to watch on Netflix.

Jim Carrey in his glory days. Like Richard Attenborough is the true film depiction of Santa Claus, Jim Carrey is the true depiction of The Grinch.

In the nature of Dr Seuss, a review in rhyme form:

This one will be a sinch

Allow me to sing the praises

Of Jim Carrey’s The Grinch

Thus concludes the poetry segment of this review.

As well as Jim Carrey being excellent in Grinch form, he’s backed up by a fantastic cast. Christine Baranski (Martha May Whovier) and Jeffery Tambor (May Who) are personal favourites of mine. The film has a lovely quality to it that comes from being made just before films got self-indulgently long (this one stands at a pleasant 1 hr 44mins) and spaffed with CGI. The prosthetics and make up in the film for not only the main cast but the ensemble gives it more magic than CGI could ever do.

I remember watching this film in our GCSE English class. If you don’t know the story, it’s another one where a young girl (Cindy Lou Who) ends up being the catalyst for a Christmas hater to turn into a Christmas lover. At one point Cindy Lou sings: ‘Where are you Christmas?’ The lyrics are about her feeling like she’s lost the true meaning of the season and is sad that people are so focussed on presents. (Capitalism. Told ya. Capitalism and a sad child are at the heart of pretty much every 80s/90s/00s Christmas film) Her song comes to a sweet but poignantly sad finish, leaving our whole class silent. Apart from my teacher. Who said: ‘Sickening isn’t it.’ It was a little bit but it’s a Christmas film, it’s allowed. It just would have been a bit less weird if we’d watched it in December rather than July.