Directed by Spike Jonze
(PG)
***
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An adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s bedtime favorite
Where the Wild Things Are is that “rare adaptation that goes deeper, not dumber,” in its translation of a children’s classic, said Michael Phillips in the Chicago Tribune. Director Spike Jonze has brilliantly captured the “spare wonder” of Maurice Sendak’s beloved 1963 book while staying true to his own singular vision as a filmmaker. Sendak’s 338-word tale about Max—a lonely boy who escapes to a fantasy world populated by an eccentric menagerie of monsters—is essentially plot-free. But Jonze and co-scripter Dave Eggers have cleverly expanded its scope by giving the creatures distinct personalities. Appearances aside, these wild things aren’t that wild, said David Denby in The New Yorker. Meant to evoke various sides of Max’s own psyche and the people in his life, they’re more like “peevish adults,” all with their own issues, who suck the fun out of the film. Not every kids’ film has to be fun, said Mary Pols in Time. This adaptation recognizes something essential about Sendak’s book: “For all its fantastical elements, it’s a work of realism, an exploration of mood and emotion.” Growing up is hard to do, and Jonze’s film understands the complicated inner lives of all kids.
