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Lemony Snicket (voice of Jude Law) is hunched over his typewriter as he records what he calls an
unpleasant story: the unfortunate events that beset the three Beaudelaire children, 14 year old Violet (Emily Browning), her younger brother Klaus (Liam Aiken) and the
toddler Sunny (Kara and Shelby Hoffman). Their wealthy parents are burned to death in their mansion. Mr. Poe (Timothy Spall), the family banker, places the orphans in
the care of a distant relative, Count Olaf (Jim Carrey) who lives in a spooky, Gothic mansion. He abuses the children and tries to kill them to inherit their
fortune. But inventive Violet manages to save herself and her siblings. Mr. Poe next entrusts them to their Uncle Monty (Bill Connoly), a herpetologist whose house is
populated with numerous vipers and snakes. Kind Uncle Monty welcomes an Italian visitor whom the children see as Olaf in disguise and soon Uncle Monty dies
mysteriously. The children narrowly escape the clutches of Olaf when the finger of suspicion is pointed at him. The next guardian is neurotic and naïve Aunt Josephine
(Meryl Streep) whose house precariously teeters on the edge of a cliff beside a turbulent sea. With their resourcefulness, the children again manage to outwit
Olaf. But what future awaits them as Olaf unrelentingly plots to kill them or dispossess them?
The events narrated and shown in the film are indeed unfortunate but the storytelling is not
unpleasant. Despite the dire circumstances narrated, one enjoys the movie which does not weigh down the spirit with gloom. The well conceived and well executed
production design of Rick Heimichs, John Dexter and Martin Whist effectively creates such picturesque spaces with that creepy ambiance. The very good visual special effects
as well as the adept cinematography add to one's viewing pleasure. In the not so real world of this fantasy adventure, the three precocious Beaudelaire children are more
capable and sensible than the adults who are either thoroughly evil like Olaf, neurotic like Aunt Josephine or unperceptive and undiscerning like Mr. Poe.
This is one film the family can enjoy together and pleasantly talk about over Sunday lunch or
dinner. What stands out as the saving grace in the series of unfortunate events is the quality of the relationship among the three children. Their adversity has
tightened their togetherness and protectiveness for each other. Even though they lost their physical home, they can create a home wherever they are together, loving and
caring for each other. This is underscored by the advice of their parents in a letter that was lost but miraculously arrives after the fire. One notices also the
resourcefulness and inventiveness of the children which save them from tight situations, even death. These qualities are nurtured by their reading, experimenting and
studying. In a way, this love for reading and studying is shown to have paid off in practical ways they did not expect. Can that suggest that whatever one learns one
will eventually use to one's advantage, even if the skill seems useless at the moment? For very young children, parental guidance may still be needed because of some very
scary situations and some thematic elements like adult greed and child abuse.
(Date Reviewed: 25 February 2005)
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