By Andrew W., 6th Grade, Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation
“The Grinch,” a family movie released on Nov. 9, 2018, has critics raving.
Partly a musical with the narrator occasionally telling the story, “The Grinch” received a 58 percent Rotten Tomato rating (58 percent of people who saw the movie liked it), sending children and their parents rushing to the theaters to grab a seat. According to The New York Times, the cost for Illumination Entertainment to make this movie was approximately $75 million, and the company earned $66 million in ticket sales in the first week alone. As of Jan. 2019, the movie had earned an additional $200 million.
In Dr. Seuss’s “The Grinch,” the main plot is about a green creature named Grinch who hates everything. Most of all, however, he hates Christmas because as a child, he was an orphan who never experienced the joy of the holidays. As revenge, Grinch plans to steal Christmas from the town of Whoville by pretending to be Santa. His mission is to make everyone as miserable as he.
The film’s subplot is the story of a family living in Whoville. Donna, a single mother of three, has infant twins as well as Cindy Lou, a small child with a big heart. Donna’s life is very busy and she is always tired because she works so hard every day to care for her family. Cindy Lou devises a plan with her friends to trap Santa and ask him for the biggest present she could possibly receive: to make her mom’s life easier.
Eventually, the two plots collide. The last home the Grinch plans to eliminate Christmas from is Cindy Lou’s. He runs into Cindy Lou’s trap of a cookie tied to a string and she is amazed to see Santa. She is nice and comforting to him and she warms his heart. However, this does not change him deep down, so the Grinch puts Cindy Lou to bed and steals the rest of the Christmas tangibles. In the morning, when the people of Whoville awaken, all of their holiday lights, Christmas trees and gifts are gone. However, even without all of these tangibles, the residents of Whoville celebrate Christmas.
When the Grinch hears the residents joyfully singing, he is confused, but then he sees Cindy Lou in the middle of the crowd and “his heart triples in size” because he remembers the talk he and Cindy Lou had on Christmas Eve. He returns the stolen items to the center of Whoville, sincerely apologizes for his bad behavior, and returns to his dog Max and his empty house. Later that night, to his surprise, Cindy Lou invites the Grinch to her house for dinner, showing true Christmas spirit.
I rate this movie 9/10. One of the strongest components of the movie is the detailed development of the characters. The main plot and subplot are also strong. I enjoyed how they are completely different in the beginning, but as the film progresses, they come together and mold into one.
The movie appeals to children ages five to 13, as well as their parents. It is a cute movie with important lessons to teach. If you are looking for a funny, colorful and entertaining movie, “The Grinch” is the way to go!
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