Review: Where the Wild Things Are

Where the Wild Things Are

OPENING: 10/16/2009

STUDIO: Warner Bros.

RUN TIME: 101

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Inside all of us is… hope. Inside all of us is… fear. Inside all of us is… adventure. Inside all of us is a wild thing.

Opening Statement
Many felt adapting Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s story Where the Wild Things Are into a feature-length theatrical film would be a near-impossible task. It’s a remarkably brief little picture-book (containing only nine sentences over the course of twenty pages), but an iconic one that has made quite an impression on several generations of children since its release in the 1960s. Director Spike Jonze — whose previous work consists of noted music videos and the two brilliant Charlie Kaufman-penned outings Being John Malkovich and Adaptation — has pulled off a rather remarkable feat, retaining the simple purity of the story while successfully adding original elements with depth and complexity.

Facts of the Case
The plot (what little there is) more or less follows the structure of the book. Our protagonist is a young boy named Max (Max Records, The Brothers Bloom), who is going through a somewhat rough period emotionally. He doesn’t have any close friends, his sister seems to ignore him most of the time, and his loving mother (Catherine Keener, Hamlet 2) is dating some strange new guy (Mark Ruffalo, Reservation Road). One day, Max lets his frustrations get the better of him, lashing out and biting his mother, before running off into the woods. In the forest, Max finds a boat and sails away to the strange, frightening, and wonderful land of The Wild Things.

The Evidence
If you were wondering how Jonze finds a way to turn such a short story into a feature-length film, look no further than this: In both the book and the film, there is a silent understanding that this land and these creatures are products of Max’s imagination. Jonze and co-writer Dave Eggers have created a film which poses as a fanciful fantasy, while actually offering an in-depth exploration of the heart, mind, and soul of a child. Everything we see is viewed through the eyes of Max. Pay close attention to the first fifteen minutes, as we are shown a portrait of Max’s ordinary home life. Much of what happens during Max’s time with The Wild Things serves as a considerably more vivid echo of these aspects of real life.

Why has Max created The Wild Things in his mind? He might have initially done it as a way of escaping from a very unpleasant reality, but the colorful experience is actually a complex way of dealing with his own emotions. These seemingly conflicting feelings and personality elements are divided amongst the creatures, giving him a way of closely examining each aspect of himself, without other elements getting in the way — though sometimes they try… not all The Wild Things like each other.

Max’s raw emotions are personified by Carol (James Gandolfini, The Sopranos), who responds to each situation in an extreme manner. When he is happy, he is the most exuberantly joyful of the bunch. When he is angry, he is the most terrifying and ferocious of the group. When he is sad, his hurt runs deeper than anyone else. Gandolfini’s voice work is quite remarkable, as the actor hits new notes by offering a very open vulnerability. It’s interesting that Carol’s best friend is Douglas (Chris Cooper, American Beauty), a perpetually calm and reasonable creature who sees things as they are without allowing emotions to get in the way. The lonely, rejected side of Max can be seen in the often-mocked goat Alexander (a fretful Paul Dano, Little Miss Sunshine), while Max’s worry and cynicism are found in the semi-nasty Judith (Catherine O’Hara, Home Alone). It’s fascinating to observe the way Max interacts with these characters, noting the moments in which he relates to, disagrees with, and fears them. Max is at that challenging age which lies just between blissful ignorance and painful awareness, and these Wild Things reflect that in a considerably affecting and truthful manner.

This is clearly a film made with love, as every aspect of the production glows with affectionate warmth. That is not to say it’s always a joyous or happy film, but it’s most assuredly a tender one. I tend to be a fan of tightly-controlled detail (which is why I so treasure the films of Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock, Wes Anderson, and the Coen Brothers), but I could not resist the infectiously sloppy sense of handcrafted love that Jonze has given Where the Wild Things Are. That honest, ramshackle quality extends not only to the set design, but also the naturalistic performances from the Wild Things (I would call them Altmanesque, though Jonze and Eggers cite John Cassavettes as a primary influence), the acoustic score by Karen O and Carter Burwell, and the way the screenplay pays more attention to character interaction than to plot development.

It’s hard to say what children will think of the film. Most of the kids who attended my screening seemed to like it, though one little girl was alarmed by some of the additions to Sendak’s story: "Mommy, what’s wrong with Max? He didn’t cry in the book!" The movie is considerably slower and more reflective than most children’s films, so perhaps some members of the Spongebob Squarepants generation may get bored. However, thoughtful kids will enjoy the tale and relate to it. Adults will perhaps enjoy it even more enjoyable, not only for its impressive craftsmanship but also for the layers the story has to offer. In fact, if I have one complaint about the film, it’s that it probably works better underneath than it does on the surface.

Closing Statement
It’s a bit ungainly on a purely straightforward level as an adaptation of a children’s fantasy, but when the subtext is considered the film becomes a rich experience. Some will undoubtedly find it a bit too self-indulgent and peculiar. Personally, I was deeply involved and it has only grown more compelling in retrospect. I look forward to visiting this marvelous world again.

The Verdict
10/10

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