- Film title: The Grinch
- Starring: Jim Carrey, Taylor Momsen, Christine Baranski, Molly Shannon etc.
- Duration: 1 hour, 44 minutes.
- Rating: Suitable for general viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children.
It’s not long until Christmas now, but we’re continuing to build up your excitement by offering you suggestions on what films to watch this holiday. For our 17th Day of CelebMix’s Christmas Film Advent, the movie of choice is none other than the box office success ‘The Grinch’. This festive fun film is adapted from Dr Seuss’ popular children’s story ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’, and stars award winning Jim Carrey as the lead. It is definitely a family favourite and considered a Christmas classic nowadays, having first hit the big screens all the way back in 2000.
The comedy follows Carrey’s character, a green-skinned Grinch who secludes himself up in the mountaintops having experienced a lot of ridicule whilst growing up “different” and causing him to resent Christmas having been mocked at school. Through turning into a spiteful, cruel outcast over the years, the now older Grinch has grown hated by many (especially following his numerous, potentially harmful pranks) and following a much more recent humiliation, he conjures up a plan to ruin Christmas for the overly enthusiastic and joyful people of Whoville – a town that thrives on the holiday festivities. The well-disliked green creature decides that stealing the gifts from everyone’s homes is the best way to go about it, and forces his pet dog, Max, to assist him in his cruel plot. But things don’t go as intended as the Grinch sets off and comes across a sweet and charming girl named Cindy Lou Who, played by a very young Gossip Girl star Taylor Momsen.
Previously, the Grinch had sparked Cindy Lou’s interest having saved her life during an incident at the post office, and caused the six year old to venture off to inquire about the mysterious green-skinned creature’s history. On learning of his tragic upbringing, of all the pain he experienced in being picked on as a child – particularly for his appearance – Cindy Lou is touched and tries to befriend and bring some joy to the Grinch. Unfortunately, the mayor of Whoville has other plans and leads to upsetting the outcast further, causing him to spiral into a deeper, much more crueller plan for revenge. Nevertheless, the spirit of the town remains optimistic, allowing the Grinch to realise the importance of Christmas, that it is not about the materialistic items you receive, but rather the company you keep, the kindness you share and being with loved ones. The heart-warming message the Christmas film brings is surely one to bring a smile to your face, and paired with the witty one liners and overly-acted humour is sure to leave you feeling merry.
Carrey is an excellent choice to cast as this eccentric main character; with his exceptionally charismatic facial expressions and tones, he captures Dr Seuss’ unusual protagonist incredibly well. He quite literally throws himself into the role wholeheartedly and it is wonderful to see; especially for such a difficult portrayal of such a popular villainous though lovable character. Momsen, herself, does a great job as a supporting role despite being a young actress at the time and other celebs like Christine Baranski and Jeffrey Tambor deserve honourable mentions for their excellent takes on their parts.
For many, ‘The Grinch’ is up there with some of the greatest Christmas films like ‘Elf’ and ‘Love Actually’, and has continually been well-watched around this time of year since its release in the Millennium. But it is your choice now to decide for yourself.
Leave a comment or tweet us @CelebMix to let us know if you’re going to watch this festive film favourite. And if you’re still not convinced, how about giving the trailer below a quick look?