Where the Wild Things Are
Directed by: Spike Jonze Cast: Max Records, James Gandolfini, Catherine Keener, Catherine O'Hara Running Time: 1 hr 40 mins Rating: PG Release Date: October 16, 2009
PLOT: Written by Jonze and Dave Eggers, and based on the children's novel classic by Maurice Sendak's. Where the Wild Things Are tells the story of Max (Records) and the magical world he encounters when he runs away from home and encounters a place where the wild things are, and he becomes king.
WHO'S IT FOR? Tough, tough call. If you're all about the visuals then get in line. It's a child's perspective movie, but not necessarily a kid's movie.
EXPECTATIONS: Just like you, I have fond thoughts of Sendak's kids book. But at the same time, I know that story doesn't have much to it. I was expecting to be visually dazzled, and hoping for more.
SCORECARD (0-10)
ACTORS: Max Records as Max: From the (great) very beginning, this is Records' movie. And it's more than him just being the lead. It captures the spirit of childhood, and that doesn't mean lollipops and rainbows. It means crying and throwing a tantrum when his older sister's friends pick on him. It means running away, and not knowing how to say sorry. It means wanting to be a king because you can't see beyond your perspective. Records makes us remember childhood, whether we want to or not. Score: 9
Catherine Keener as Mom: The phrase "more with less," seems to describe Keener's performances lately. It's true with The Soloist and definitely true here. She does more with less as the single mother trying to keep it together. Don't expect any lectures here, maybe just a well-timed hug. Score: 8
James Gandolfini as Carol (voice): It's a little awkward to have Carol whack anything isn't it? After all, that's Tony Soprano. He doesn't whine, tear up, and let snot drip from his noise ... unless a hooker is involved. As for Carol, he's clearly the emotional center of Max's journey. It just feels a little awkward. There's more pain than joy and Carol is worse at expressing himself than Max is. Score: 6
Rest of Cast: Mark Ruffalo might have two minutes of screen time. Catherine O'Hara (voice) gets the most laughs as Judith as she pushes around Forest Whitaker's Ira. Paul Dano's (voice) Alexander is the little goat of the group and he embodies how every "little one" has probably felt throughout their childhood. Score: 6
TALKING: The nonsensical has it's place, just like an excited child's rant. Max has thoughts of grandeur while being king and building his enormous fort. There just doesn't seem to be enough reasons to go along with the rhymes. Score: 6
SIGHTS: Max in the pajama wolf costume is beauty enough in this film, but that's just the beginning. The over-sized birds, bulls, and monsters like a combination of full-size costumes and special effects for the mouth movements. But it's something you'll really have to study. It's some of the best visuals of the year. And there are moments like the wild rumpus or the dirt bomb fight that will keep kids entertained, even though there will be plenty of other restless moments for them. Score: 9
SOUNDS: Sigh. I'm a little disappointed. Don't get me wrong, the music is good, but I was hoping for life changing. Karen O. (of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and the Kids play throughout the film, but I didn't have one key moment where my heart leapt simply from the tunes created. Don't get me wrong, I'll still be picking up the soundtrack, because as my friend said, "It sounds like Arcade Fire with kids," which is good enough for me. Score: 6
PLOT SPOILERS
BEST SCENE: The beginning of the film, which is shocking considering it didn't have any monsters present. If this doesn't make you feel ... or remember ... what it's like to be a kid
ENDING: It's quick and exactly what you would expect. Maybe Max learned his lesson, or maybe he's just growing up.
QUESTIONS: Did Max learn a valuable lesson or simply have an adventure? Did anyone keep thinking Gandolfini's Carol needed to whack somebody quick?
REWATCHABILITY: At first I didn't think I needed another trip to the flick. After thinking about it for a day, I can't wait to watch it with the child I don't yet have.
OVERALL
It's not a kid's movie. It's not a movie for kids (educationally speaking). It's a movie made from the mindset of a child. We're not ever going to truly know the impact of this film, because it's near impossible to understand the child's mind. They think every is "OK," "awesome," or "boring," and most can't articulate beyond that. And if you're sitting there thinking my kid is different it probably means you've fed them some answer to the question. The lessons learned are subtle and almost not worth stating ... Don't bite your mom, you can't make everyone happy, be sorry for being mean. We know these things. Maybe kids need to hear them. A book that didn't have much to say (it's ten sentences long) might just be a movie that could speak volumes.
FINAL SCORE: 7/10