Hugo (2011) ***1/2
Hugo (2011) is a bit long, drags at times, underuses a few truly great actors, and isn't quite a home run, but there is undeniable movie magic on display in a movie that is a tribute to the magic and history of moviemaking.
I'm generally not a fan of child actors (they tend to try a bit too hard) and there are some moments where Asa Butterfield loses me but as a whole he's serviceable in the lead role. Chloë Grace Moritz is given short shrift as a character as well. Overall Sacha Baron Cohen is actually kind of understated and pretty enjoyable. But the truly heartfelt moments and where the acting truly shines are Ben Kingsley's scenes as the legendary cinemagician Georges Méliès.
I’m also generally not a fan of overly processed looking images or obvious CGI in films. In Hugo though I must admit the cinematography, costumes, and production design are simply stunning and said CGI manages to work in service of the pristine fantastical painterly storybook imagery.
I liked this film a little bit more than I did the first time I saw it in 2012 and I think it may continue to grow on me. It still doesn't really feel like a Martin Scorsese film to me (more like Steven Spielberg or Terry Gilliam or Tim Burton) but it's entertaining and, at times, quite enchanting.
Recommended for fans of Big Fish (2003), The Young And Prodigious T.S. Spivet (2013) (review), and The Fabelmans (2022) (review).
Comments
Post a Comment