“Go have no fun somewhere else.” —Conrad
Today’s quick review: The Cat in the Hat. Left bored at home while their mother (Kelly Preston) is at work, Conrad (Spencer Breslin) and Sally (Dakota Fanning) receive a surprise visit from the Cat in the Hat (Mike Myers), a six-foot-tall talking cat with a knack for mischief. The Cat shows the kidshow to have fun, but in the process he makes a mess of the house, forcing Conrad and Sally to clean everything up before their mother gets home.
The Cat in the Hat is a family comedy based on the book by Doctor Seuss. Mike Myers stars as the titular cat, a fun-loving prankster with a bottomless bag of tricks. The Cat in the Hat aims to be a bouncy romp with a mixture of kid-oriented and adult humor. Its rapid-fire jokes and elaborate, colorful world are decent steps in this direction. But a grating lead, weak writing, and some questionable taste all contribute to a dubious watch.
The Cat in the Hat is too zany for its own good. It pours much of its effort into its costumes, sets, and special effects. But even though these give it the trappings of a Doctor Seuss book, the spirit isn’t there. The world feels artificial rather than whimsical. The humor is self-aware and often seems forced. Perhaps the subtlest loss is its story, which goes through the motions of a kids’ moral without ever being earnest.
Mike Myers is also a mixed bag. His outrageous style of humor seems like a good fit for the Cat in theory, but in practice it drags the movie off balance. Too much of the film is spent watching Myers play to the camera, a tendency made worse by the Cat’s constant digressions and laughter at his own jokes. There are some clever bits of dialogue tucked away here and there, but they’re sandwiched between rapid-fire jokes that mostly miss the mark.
Still, The Cat in the Hat carves out a niche for itself with its distinct visual style and off-the-wall humor, and the right viewer will enjoy what it has to offer. But most viewers will find that the movie rubs them the wrong way, either due to its surreal world, splotchy comedy, or lack of heart. Devotees of Mike Myers may want to give it a shot, but most people will be better off skipping it.
For a more iconic adaptation of a Doctor Seuss book, try the original How the Grinch Stole Christmas. For a kids’ action movie set in another colorful world, try Speed Racer. For a comedy with a similar story, a more grounded setting, and a lot more heart, try Home Alone. For one with a similar setup and more constrained fantasy, try The Christmas Chronicles. For whimsy done right, try Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
3.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 5.0 for poor decisions made in a unique style.