The first sign that a movie may be worthwhile is that tickets to an evening show are sold out hours before. The second sign is that the people coming out of that show are happily raving about how funny and cute it was. While "The Cat in the Hat" has been filling theaters with ease, I did notice that all the children were happily chattering about the movie, but the parents stood sheepishly by. I soon found out why, when I myself watched entered to see "The Cat in the Hat." I have never seen a children's movie with more political jokes and inappropriate references in my movie-going life. And the jokes that were not inappropriate were way over the children's heads. I thought the movie was brilliantly funny, but then again, I'm 20 years old.
"The Cat in the Hat" tells the story of Sally and Conrad. They live in the small town of Anville, and are raised by their single mother, Joan.
Sally, played by the very cute Dakota Fanning, is a control freak, much like her previous role in "Uptown Girls." Her days consist of bossing her brother around and keeping up a to-do list in her palm pilot.
Conrad, played by Spencer Breslin, who also appeared in "The Kid," is a mischievous rule-breaker who will do the exact opposite of what he is told. Joan (Kelly Preston) is the mother who is trying to raise her children while being a successful real estate agent. Alec Baldwin plays the villain in this movie, as the mother's boyfriend, Lawrence Quinn.
So one day, Sally and Conrad are sitting at home, bored. Along comes the Cat and decides that the two need to learn how to have fun. This, of course, results in a wrecked house and a race to get it cleaned up before the mother comes home.
On the way, they crash a birthday party, take a stroll through a Tokyo Nightclub and take a roller coaster ride through their own house.
Despite the simple plot, the constant antics delivered by Myers and his co-stars keep you entertained for the full hour and a half.
For producer, Brian Grazer, making this movie must have been a no-brainer after the success of his other Dr. Seuss film, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." But this time he did not have director Ron Howard, and instead tried another approach with a not as well known director, Bo Welch.
Welch has a couple of Oscars nods for his production designing work, but has never been noticed for his directing skills. For this, he does pretty well in "The Cat in the Hat."
He gives the landscape of Anville a very believable Seussian look. He does confuse viewers when the camera moves into the Cat's world, which you can get to through the Cat's crate.
First of all, I don't believe that Dr. Seuss ever wrote anything about this world. Second, the animation of the world clashed with the perfectly symmetrical world of Anville. This doesn't put a serious damper in the movie but does put a little bump.
Myers was born to play the role of the Cat, much like Jim Carrey was perfect for "How the Grinch stole Christmas." Myers adds the extra flavor that the character needed to jump out of the pages of Dr. Seuss' book, and onto the big screen. But, although Myers is very funny, the Cat does get a little annoying by the end of the movie. At the beginning, he is charming, and the Barney-like laugh can be overlooked, but by the end, the laugh and the tireless clowning around will get to you.
Sally (Fanning), wise beyond her years, is the one to always put others in their place. Her first punch line comes early in the movie when Quinn (Baldwin) greets her with a "hello Princess." Fanning, with a seriousness that is rare for even college students answers: "I don't want to be a princess. In a modern Monarchy, parliament is where the real power is at."
I'm sure that no five-year-old in the theater understood that.
Spencer Breslin plays the part of the rule-breaking Conrad. He is disliked by all who know him, especially Quinn (Baldwin,) who puts the idea of sending him to military school into his mother's head. To tell you the truth, not much can be said about this character. He's really not very animated and also doesn't make any extremely sarcastic or intelligent remarks like his co-star, Fanning. But to make up for this lacking character, a number of cameos spice up the movie. Preston's OCD boss is played by "Will and Grace's" Sean Hays. He also does the voice for the rule-observing Fish. Paris Hilton makes an appearance as a blond bombshell in a Tokyo Nightclub and Amy Hill plays the narcoleptic nanny, Mrs. Kwon. With these characters, all played to extremes, it is impossible not to have fun while watching this movie.
The one thing that still stuns me is that this movie is rated PG. Sure, it's "The Cat in the Hat," but the endless inappropriate references make this an unacceptable children's movie.
For example, the Cat brings out his car, which he has named the Super Luxurious Omni-directional Whatchamajigger, aka S.L.O.W. So far so good, but his previous car was called S.L.U.T.
At another point in the movie, the Cat steps on a garden tool and refers to it as a "dirty hoe." Please tell me you do not want your children subjected to this. I thought it was greatly funny, but then again, I'm allowed to. Also, jokes such as the one delivered by Fanning, are way over children's heads. Very young children, of course, have no idea what is being said, and enjoy the movie for its colorful antics and wild frenzy.
The 10-or-so-year-olds around me were not laughing though, and regarded me in a sick manner, because I was.
Overall, "The Cat in the Hat" is a very entertaining movie. It is smart, sassy and very wild. Mike Myers does a great job of portraying the Cat. The children, especially Fanning, do good jobs playing children who seriously need some fun in their lives. Baldwin portrays a good villain, although a little over the top at times.
"The Cat in the Hat" is definitely something you should go see for a few good laughs -- just please don't take a 10-year-old to see it.
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