From the beloved children's series by Lemony Snicket comes the film adaptation of the adventures of the Baudelaire trio who had to use their strengths in times of hardship because of a series of unfortunate events.
The story is told from the point of view of the writer Lemony Snicket (Jude Law) who narrates his work as he is writing it. Violet (Emily Browning), Klaus (Liam Aiken) and Sunny are the children of wealthy parents. They all possess a certain talent such as Violet's ability to invent and problem solve, Klaus being an avid reader who remembers everything he reads about, and Sunny, who likes to chew on things. One day, they are informed that their parents have died in a fire that destroyed their entire mansion. They are devastated by the news and so, their unfortunate adventures begin. The family banker also tells them that they will be staying with their closest relative, an actor named Count Olaf (Jim Carrey). Little did they know that he is in fact a sordid and beastly human being who is willing to go the distance in trying to get their family fortune. The trio outlive many of his frantic attempts to get their money, even after they are placed with other caregivers, who are murdered cold-heartedly by the Count. But despite their bleak life after their parents' death, will the Baudelaire's see the big picture or just pity themselves and think they are unlucky orphans in this big world, with no one to turn to?
I'd like to first say that this was a greatly made movie. The attention to details was wonderful and I loved the gothic inspired costumes that were worn by the actors. Sometimes I felt as if it was a little bit unfinished, but was still focused on its storyline from start to finish. The make-up for Jim Carrey was transforming in so many ways, that it literally made him become Olaf without ever thinking he had make-up on; not to mention all the other disguises he had in store for his destructive schemes. The acting was great from all the child actors because you can really feel their emotional level adhering to each other. They all had the same sort of impact on the audience and it's very rare to see that, especially coming from children. Jim Carrey is an actor who plays an actor, and his interpretation of Count Olaf was larger than life and sometimes even a little overcooked. I'm sure it was definitely a challenge not only to play the ominous Olaf but also his other get-ups, and Carrey not only did it convincingly, but also made us laugh about how blatantly theatrical his character is not only in his life, but also his performances. I wonder why the children's latter caretakers didn't believe the children's wariness towards him, when you can make it out just by looking at him. But then I suppose it's because most of their other relatives are just as mentally unbalanced as Olaf himself. I really liked Meryl Streep's transformation into a woman that rather fearful of basic objects around her home, but we later learn she is scared of them for a reason. She is one of the finest actresses in film history and her performance demonstrated just that, in every moment she was on screen. Billy Connolly plays the children's eccentric uncle who is an eager herpetologist, and he exhibits the more generous and kind guardian for the children and possibly a glimmer of hope. The set designs were effective for the tone of the story and the cinematography really blended with that gothic and sometimes frightening sort of atmosphere that surround the children on their journey. Sinister, but at the same time fairytale like.
Many themes were conveyed in the story that I think are important to everyone. The siblings are confronted by calamitous events, but that doesn't bring them down and only makes them stronger. During these unbelievable events, they get to hone their individual talents to help each other, which really shows their commitment towards their loved ones. Sometimes bad things happen, and these children deal with the aftermath like adults, seeing a positive side to the darkest of days. It's not only a relevant message to children and families but also to adult individuals. Being faced with improbable dilemma's that threaten to destroy you, yet you can manage to overcome them using your knowledge and common sense. And in the end, they realize that no matter what happens to them, they must always have each other because that's really all they'll ever have. With the main focus of the story being the importance of family, it makes us see what's more important in this life. And it's definitely not money, which can ultimately devour your mind and soul.
It's definitely a keeper in the old stack because the focal point is aimed towards family, but also because of the great acting and the gloomily stylized way it was filmed, that made it look polished and rich in texture. And trust me, there is quite a bit of humor regardless of its grimness. Plus, I noticed Craig Ferguson playing one of Olaf's mates.
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