How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a wholesome, ridiculous, and performance charged retelling of this classic Dr. Seuss story. In the mythical town of Whoville, whose inhabitants are humanoids called Whos, the annual Christmas celebration and festivities get prepared; lights strung up, trees decorated, snow falling. Six-year-old Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen) is amped for Christmas, though she’s noticed as she’s gotten older that what she’s been taught to be the meaning of the holiday—presents—no longer resonates with her. Meanwhile in the town’s dump of Mount Crumpit, a despicable green creature named the Grinch (Jim Carrey) crafts plans to ruin the holiday as he hates it. Curious to understand both her and the Grinch’s misgivings after learning about his rough upbringing and eventual exile from Whoville, she traverses up Crumpit’s rock face. While outwardly cruel, she discovers the one quality even the Grinch wants vanquished: his heart. Over time, Cindy attempts cracking away at the green creature’s thick skin, using her optimism, the town’s community-centered orientation, and a little Christmas magic to win him over. The Grinch can either give into the love, or continue hating until there’s no one left to hate but himself.

The live-action version of Grinch entertains primarily because of Carrey’s work in the titular role. Carrey is electric in any role he’s assigned, whether it be comedic as in The Truman Show or bed-ridden depressing as in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. He portrays Grinch with a maniacal wit in both movement and dialogue, filling the screen with kinetic motion (talking with his hands, walking with extra pep-in-step), mouthy one-liners (“6:30, dinner with me, I CAN’T cancel that again.”), and uncanny facial expressions. While just about everything else in this live-action is subpar—from distracting cinematography, grayed colors and one-dimensional themes to Whoville’s residents being little more than caricatures telling stories of past Grinch encounters, especially Mayor Augustus Who (Jeffrey Tambor) in his overly obvious greedy materialistic nature like when he bribes his wife-to-be with a “Brand! New! Car!”—Grinch is well defined.

Grinch spends his time living in Whoville’s dumps, understanding and defying against the never-ending more-ness Whoville strives for: That’s what it’s all about, isn’t its it? That’s what it’s always been ABOUT. Gifts, gifts, gifts…. The avarice never ends!” His living outside these norms from being ostracized as a child over a crush allows him to observe these materialistically driven flaws—with no desire-temptation restrictions, people will always want to push the limits. And while he understands these, it only makes his pain worse; because he’s a green, hairy, (trauma-induced) Christmas-hating monster, he’s not allowed the luxuries of love, comfort, togetherness and guiltless consumerism—making Cindy Lou Who the perfect catalyst for his change.

As Cindy enters the Grinch’s life, her love for Christmas dwindles as she begins seeing past the fake marketing schemes of the mayor’s manufactured holiday festivities. She understands Christmas to be more about togetherness, and more than anything a reminder of such togetherness that should already exist. Thus, she sees Grinch’s problems and the solution: to bring him back and accept him. After many trials and failures, Grinch is not the only one who understands the true meaning of Christmas: “That’s what Cindy’s been trying to tell everyone… and me. I don’t need anything more for Christmas than this right here: my family” Cindy’s father Lou Lou Who (Bill Irwin) insists to Mayor August. For Christmas to truly be magical, everyone has to come together with mutual respect at the least. The Grinch is also a part of everyone. Thus, while its flaws melt it to little more than cartoonish goodness, How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a funny, touching holiday flick for anyone and everyone in the family to enjoy.

Screens Saturday, 12/7, 11:59 pm & Saturday, 12/14, 10:30 am @ Coolidge Corner Theatre
Part of the ongoing repertory series: Kids’ Shows and After Midnite