Film Review: “Mr. Magorium” a wonder for audiences
“Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium” is a successful, heart-warming children’s story with logic-defying toys and loveable adult characters.
Dustin Hoffman (“Stranger Than Fiction”) plays Mr. Magorium with crazy eyebrows and upright white hair. Hoffman plays the perfect fool, lisping a steady stream of silliness, like when he questions the hot dog-to-bun ratio or the necessity of the number four.
In between the fun and games, however, is the concept of death, giving depth to the movie. Mr. Magorium, at 243 years old, chooses the beginning of the movie as his time to leave. This causes his magical toy store to have a childish tantrum, creating havoc and mayhem, such as an octopus popping out of a children’s book in a splash of water. The toy shop drives frightened customers out of the shop, scared for their lives. As a result, the shop grows dull and gray, sucking happiness and magic out, like the dementors in the Harry Potter books.
Before dying, Mr. Magorium leaves the toy shop to manager Molly Mahoney (Natalie Portman, “The Darjeeling Limited”). Mahoney is a child prodigy who has lost her sparkle. She is constantly fingering an imaginary piano, trying to find the last notes to her concerto, but she can’t. Her inability to finish it connects directly to Mahoney’s job of trying to restore magic back to the shop. Mahoney whole heartedly believes in magic, but doing it is another story.
Much of this movie is told in a storybook fashion from the point of view of Eric (Zach Mills, “The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause”), a lonely little boy who has trouble making friends because he’s different. Eric’s point of view gives the adults a chance to laugh at things children think are funny.
Eric and Henry, a serious accountant hired to transfer the store into Mahoney’s hands, must help Mahoney accept her role as successor to Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium.
Casting Portman as Mahoney was a mistake. The role called for someone who looks and acts like they are capable of performing magic if the occasion calls for it, someone similar to Julie Andrews’s magical Mary Poppins. Portman just falls short.
However, Jason Bateman (“Juno”) did a wonderful job playing Henry Weston. More fondly referred to as “Mutant” by Mr. Magorium, Henry is the all-work-no-play sort of guy. Henry undergoes a transformation, giving up his serious attitude and bringing out his inner joker. Henry’s character shows there is a kid in everyone, even the most unlikely people.
Children and adults will appreciate a movie where adults do childish things to reach their inner child. Who said adults can’t jump on beds anymore?
Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium
Release date: Nov. 16
Director: Zach Helm
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman, Jason Bateman
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Rated: G
Grade: B
This entry was posted
on Sunday, November 18th, 2007 at 10:59 pm and is filed under Arts & Entertainment, Film Reviews.
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