Well, as it turns out, there IS a live-action version of the classic Grinch tale, and it is extremely bizarre.  This Ron Howard directed film, starring Jim Carrey as the Grinch, is a generally disliked film by most, one that is avoided by many around the Christmas season.  But, my family and I watch this movie every season, and enjoy doing it as well.  And I consider this film to be a guilty pleasure of mine, a movie that I really like, but can’t fully explain why I enjoy it.

The movie, like it predecessor, follows the Grinch’s attempts to end Christmas forever in the land of Whoville, but, to create a full length feature film, new side-plots are added.  Most notably is the plot of Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen), who has begun to question the real meaning of Christmas, and the long held hatred the town feels toward the Grinch.  The town now holds a ceremony every year, to honor the most notably merry of all its citizens, and Cindy nominates the Grinch, hoping to save him from the hatred of the town.

The side-plots aren’t all that interesting, and they don’t add any particularly fun or well-developed characters either.  Cindy is a basic little girl, with not much charm or charisma to her acting.  Though the actress was only seven years old when this movie was made, I feel like she could have been at least a bit more funny or interesting.  Her lack-luster acting makes the added scenes a drag, and they do seem to detract from the overall story of the Grinch.  But the nail in the coffin for this character and her plot is the song that she sings toward the beginning of the film.  Not only is “Where are You Christmas” annoying, it also overly emphasizes her confusion toward the season, which in turn over-emphasizes the original stories moral of a less materialistic Christmas.

So, with a dull plot and uninteresting characters, why do I even like this move?  Honestly, the performance by Jim Carrey is the glue that loosely holds this mess of a film together.  His performance, which is basically his performance in every other movie, is crazy and over-the-top, the way I honestly prefer the Grinch.  The brooding and sinister Grinch is a bit less fun, and I simply prefer the fun and crazy Grinch to that one.  His lines vary; some of them are juvenile and stupid, and some are actually well thought out and kind of clever.  I really love all of them, and it is pretty obvious that the film’s writer put all of the really good stuff to Carrey.

Is it a good movie?  If you look at it on a technical standpoint, it is not.  The plot has been stretched pout too thin, and the add-ons that have been made are hollow.  The new or expanded characters are boring and uninspired, and the acting around them bland.  But I still like it, if not for the performance by Jim Carrey alone.  If you really like Carrey, and his comedy, check it out.  If not, stay away, and stick to the great cartoon from the late 60’s.