Dr Seuss’s tale about the grumpy creature who decides to steal Christmas from the residents of Whoville got the big-screen treatment (it had previously been made as a cartoon for TV) and it’s splashed with colour, flashy and loud, but lacking in the warmth and fuzziness you expect from a Christmas movie.
Jim Carrey clearly has a ball as Grinch, a green, furry creature who lives in a mountain cavern overlooking the cheerful town of Whoville, home of the Whos, with their odd (but slightly more human) faces and annoying love of Christmas. Tired of their infernal jollity, he decides to steal Christmas from them, taking their presents, but a little girl named Cindy Lou Who (Gossip Girl’s Momsen) decides all the Grinch needs is a little love to turn him into a nice guy. While the sets are amazing and the cast quirky, this is really a showcase for Carrey’s manic shtick (which is perhaps a little too crazed for very young viewers, who may find him scary) – if you like him, then it’s terrific, but if you don’t, this could grate a bit.
Is The Grinch (2000) suitable for kids? Here are our parents’ notes...
None, but younger children may dislike The Grinch and find him scary.
If you like this, why not try: The 5000 Fingers Of Dr T, Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events, Elf, The Polar Express, Horton Hears A Who,