Critic Reviews
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David Edelstein, Slate
Five-year-olds might go for it, but people who grew up with Jones' version will be looking at their watches and grinding their teeth.
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Lisa Alspector, Chicago Reader
Cloying fancy gives way to gross-out comedy, twisted social commentary, affecting pathos, and weirdly sexualized romance in this lurid live-action version of the classic children's book.
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Todd McCarthy, Variety
Shrill, strenuous and entirely without charm.
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, Time Out
This cinematic candy floss honours the Seussian universe by satirising our own. And Carrey's comic tornado of a performance is a triumph.
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Rick Groen, Globe and Mail
How the Grinch stole Christmas is one kind of larceny. How Jim Carrey steals the picture is another matter entirely.
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J. Hoberman, Village Voice
Perhaps 20 minutes too long and subject to torpor.
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Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Live-action version of classic has some crude, scary moments.
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Nick Rogers, Suite101.com
An unforgivable transgression from the usually reliable Ron Howard, "Grinch" boasts the visual polish of a Menards tree aisle and resembles not a cheerful Christmas, but rather what the bloodcurdling onset of a mescaline bender might feel like.
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Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Howard and the rest of the crew do something the late Dr. Seuss never would: take chronological age over the youthful, innocent spirit that lingers untouched in everyone--and never goes out of style.
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Steve Simels, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Parents can relax: Ron Howard's version of Dr. Seuss' tale of the Christmas-napping Grinch is a smartly stylized hoot.
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Vera H-C Chan, Contra Costa Times
The costumes astound, the sight gags abound, but the heart, oh the heart, now that must be found.
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Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
...A jumbled mess, art-directed to within an inch of its life...
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Jeffrey Overstreet, Looking Closer
Unfortunately, Ron Howard is the Grinch who stole Christmas from Jim Carrey.
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Thomas Delapa, Boulder Weekly
A holiday gift, The Grinch just may steal the hearts of kids and grown-ups alike.
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Chris Gore, Film Threat
Universal Pictures has definitely left something under your Christmas tree, but you might want to clean it up soon before it leaves a permanent stain.
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Ryan Cracknell, Movie Views
In adding material, The Grinch loses much of its rhythm and the heart within it shrinks three sizes right along with it.
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Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
How the Grinch Stole Christmas is thick with irony but doesn't have the guts to explore any of it.
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Karina Montgomery, Cinerina
If God is in the details, then this is the most righteous movie ever made.Jim Carrey is the only man deserving to interpret Chuck Jones' animation.
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Eugene Novikov, Film Blather
It's funny, it's sincere and it's gloriously bizarre.
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Susan Tavernetti, Palo Alto Weekly
This delightful fantasy offers Happy Who-lidays to the young and the young at heart.
Read all 20 critic reviews
Featured Audience Ratings
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I cannot in the least bit fathom why anyone would consider this entertainment. It's so obnoxious, loud, and offensive.
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Jim Carrey can still pull me out of my slipping, quicksand depression but you know, just fuck every other actor in this movie and the director for not putting a goofy nose on the Cindy Loo girl. Grow into her nose? that doesn't happen. people don't grow their arms when they… More
Jim Carrey can still pull me out of my slipping, quicksand depression but you know, just fuck every other actor in this movie and the director for not putting a goofy nose on the Cindy Loo girl. Grow into her nose? that doesn't happen. people don't grow their arms when they get their baptism. And Faith Hill's "where has Christmas run off to and how do find it" song. piss on a fucking urinal cake and force it down your throat with vodka, you over-analytical bitch. you know you've got your 10th anniversary soundtrack release check on the way so the spirit of christmas still turns the other cheek for you, you mistletoe deep-throating, joy-smothering holiday whore.
But overall, pretty good flick!
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The Grinch: One man's toxic sludge is another man's potpourri.
"Inside a snowflake, like the one on your sleeve, there happened a story you must see to believe."
Ron Howard's How the Grinch Stole Christmas has been a huge part of my Christmas since I was a… More
The Grinch: One man's toxic sludge is another man's potpourri.
"Inside a snowflake, like the one on your sleeve, there happened a story you must see to believe."
Ron Howard's How the Grinch Stole Christmas has been a huge part of my Christmas since I was a little kid. I always loved it. I loved it even when I didn't listen closely to the Grinch's dialogue which I have come to adore. Everything about this movie is good. Jim Carey as the Grinch is perfect and he gives one of his funniest performances in my eyes. Ron Howard does a great job creating the world of Whoville in all its Christmas glory. And could you find a more perfect narrator for this movie than Anthony Hopkins? Answer: NO.
The story is one everyone knows. We've all seen the animated classic with Boris Karloff. That is one of the most popular Christmas films. This isn't as loved. In fact, it seems that most people despise it. I've seen it probably twenty times and I still can't find anything I really dislike about it. But with most movies I like that others don't, I can see why they dislike it.
First off, devotees of the old classic aren't going to be fulfilled with this because it puts whole new tones into the story and adds a lot of unnecessary humor. Another reason is obviously Jim Carey. There are a lot of people out there that just plain don't like him. As the Grinch, he is completely over the top. I loved his performance, but I can see why other people don't.
I've been a huge fan of this movie since it came out and haven't missed watching around the Christmas season for 10 years now. It is always fun and hilarious holiday entertainment. It never gets old, even as I can utter every line the Grinch says, now. I know it isn't ever going to be considered a holiday classic or one of the better Christmas movies out there, but it will always be close to the top in my book.
The Grinch: Any calls?
Grinch's Answering Machine: You have no messages.
The Grinch: Odd. Better check the outgoing.
Grinch's Answering Machine: If you utter so much as one syllable, I'LL HUNT YOU DOWN AND GUT YOU LIKE A FISH! If you'd like to fax me, press the star key.
The Grinch: Hmm. Hmm.
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To enjoy How the Grinch stole Christmas it all comes down to whether or not you enjoy typical holiday films and of course Jim Carrey's physical comedy (which pretty much died after this film). I'm one of those people and I really enjoyed this holiday movie.
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One of my favorite Christmas classics. Jim Carrey is a great actor and just remember all who hate this, this is a great adaption, and you can hide it all you want, but you laughed in this movie. This movie is sweet, happy, and great production and make up. I'll admit the… More
One of my favorite Christmas classics. Jim Carrey is a great actor and just remember all who hate this, this is a great adaption, and you can hide it all you want, but you laughed in this movie. This movie is sweet, happy, and great production and make up. I'll admit the random girl singing and the grinch being fat was creepy. But every year on Christmas Eve my entire family watch The Grinch, so you cant tell me nobody likes this, because we all do.
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Yeah, it's very cheesy. But I think just about in the right way. I always want to watch this at Christmas because it does actually make you, or me at least, feel mega christmassy. Jim Carrey as the grinch is brilliant. Lines that I used to quote with friends when I was a lot… More
Yeah, it's very cheesy. But I think just about in the right way. I always want to watch this at Christmas because it does actually make you, or me at least, feel mega christmassy. Jim Carrey as the grinch is brilliant. Lines that I used to quote with friends when I was a lot younger still make me laugh. And it always blows my mind that the whole thing happens INSIDE a snow flake!! That's mental!
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One of the best Christmas films! A must see!
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Moderately amusing Christmas tale. Jim Carrey brings a kinetic performance to the screen as always, but it's unfortunately not enough to "carrey" the movie into greatness (yeah, I know, I'm so funny sometimes). This would probably have worked a lot better as a… More
Moderately amusing Christmas tale. Jim Carrey brings a kinetic performance to the screen as always, but it's unfortunately not enough to "carrey" the movie into greatness (yeah, I know, I'm so funny sometimes). This would probably have worked a lot better as a CG-animated feature, because with live-action actors it looks a little...wrong. And what's with all the tilted camera angles? It's shot in such a bad way, that it's enough to make you motion sick. Not a wise directing-choice by Ron Howard there. In a larger sense, however, it's a pretty good family flick. The message is very obvious, and a bit sickly-sweet, yet somehow I found myself quite moved at the end of it. Had only the rest movie been as good as its last half hour, this could have been a Christmas classic worth returning to. Sadly though it's not, so it'll have to make-do with a mediocre final grade.
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A Christmas classic! Better than the animated version! Jim Carrey looks and acts hilarious as the Grinch. The jokes matched my sense of humour, which is rude and childish. Great art direction. It looks awesome, apart from the frosty soft lens look the entire film has. I saw on the big… More
A Christmas classic! Better than the animated version! Jim Carrey looks and acts hilarious as the Grinch. The jokes matched my sense of humour, which is rude and childish. Great art direction. It looks awesome, apart from the frosty soft lens look the entire film has. I saw on the big screen three times. It was everything I wanted it to be. Great soundtrack as well. I watch it every year now.
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Jim Carrey made this watchable.
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Tried to watch this twice and have given up both times. Jim Carrey does an excellent Grinch, but it's lost in a overlong story involving competing Whoville neighbors. Maybe I'll try again one day, but not likely soon.
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Uh...I wanted to die a little inside.
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Carrey is great at what he does, but I think he may have gone a tad too far here. This isn't terrible, and it is interesting how the story is expanded/fleshed out but i don't know if Howard was the right person, or if this should have been made. It's certainly not… More
Carrey is great at what he does, but I think he may have gone a tad too far here. This isn't terrible, and it is interesting how the story is expanded/fleshed out but i don't know if Howard was the right person, or if this should have been made. It's certainly not boring, but you're probably better off sticking with the animated masterpiece instead.
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like it, perfect for the holiday season, Jom Carrey is perfect as the Grinch and the adaptation from the book is close to perfection
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love the grinchs long green fluffy fingers lol and the pointy noses and big front teeth
Read all 20 featured audience ratings
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