2004, USA/Germany
Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Truth be told, children do not really want to see cute bunnies and singing elves. My favorite movies as a kid were the ones that freaked me out, such as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and The Dark Crystal. These were films that caught my imagination and delved into darker aspects of the mind than the holes into which fuzzy woodland creatures could fit. Such is the ilk of Lemony Snicket -- a tale of a truly wonderful disaster.
Quilted from scraps of most of the Unfortunate series by Lemony Snicket (er, Daniel Handler), this film focuses primarily on the first three Events. On the outset this would appear to be a depressing story: Three children are orphaned and their house destroyed, causing them to be shuttled from one awful predicament to the next in search of a good home. However, powerful storytelling and imagery can go a long way. Each of the children is blessed with a special talent that helps them cope (the key being that each of these skills is attainable by the books' readers: an inquisitive inventor, a voracious reader and a kid with good teeth). As horrible as each situation becomes, the greater the anticipation of how the children will survive. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but children thrive on it.
Director Brad Silberling (Moonlight Mile) creates an eerily beautiful vision of the sort that Tim Burton seems to have lost sight of years ago. Perhaps not so coincidentally, Burton's faithful costume designer, Colleen Atwood, creates a wonderfully subdued carnival wardrobe for the Unfortunate characters. Perfectly gothic and fantastic, the film is enveloped by a lovely and haunting score by Thomas Newman (in the vein of his "Six Feet Under" and "Angels in America" compositions).
Jim Carrey takes hold of and throttles life into each of his four characters. In fact, Silberling chose much of his dialogue from improv screen tests Carey performed in order to try out various costumes and makeup. He is not as wildly over-the-top as in his younger days, and it is very enjoyable to watch him launch into each persona. The children are deftly portrayed by Emily Browning (Ned Kelly) and Liam Aiken (Stepmom), who portray an intelligence and quick-wit not always allowed in family films. Billy Connolly and Meryl Streep create wonderfully eccentric characters to foil Carrey's evil Count Olaf, and no small parts fill the cracks. Catherine O'Hara and Jude Law take humble parts, and Dustin Hoffman even goes uncredited. Considering every bit part seems to be a talented comedian, it becomes obvious that people wanted to be a part of this project.
But names are not everything; rather it is the image that is created and the spell that is cast that is important. As beautiful and endless as a child's imagination, this film sets the stage of possibility for movies worthy of being a literary adaptation. And if children run from the theatres and into the libraries to seek out more disastrous tales, all the better.
Extras on this disc include two separate commentary tracks, one with Silberling only and the other with Silberling and Handler. Carrey's screen tests explain how his characters were fully created, and a split screen allows one to flip between each of the four troublemakers. A test was also created of the two eldest children, used later as a movie teaser. Also included are deleted scenes, outtakes (mostly Carrey, of course), and previews. A Special Edition disc is available in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and also includes features on the costumes, sets, inventions, musical score, sound features, special effects and photo galleries.