Review by
Charles Elmore
Somewhere in the heart of New York City lies a small toy shop filled with amazing and magical toys. Inside there are no boundaries, no stifling rules or limits. Toys exist from the most fanciful and exotic right down to the most basic of board games and sock monkeys. Each one filled with the magic and life that only faith and self-confidence in ones true self can give. This is the world, both small and infinite at the same time, created by the titular character, Mr. Magorium (played by Dustin Hoffman.)
Mr. Magorium doesn't run his shop alone, however. He is aided by the sweet yet self-conscious Molly Mahoney. Once, a child prodigy on the piano, she now suffers from a debilitating bout of creative block and it's spilling over into her work at the Emporium. It is something she must overcome if she is to fulfill Mr. Magorium's desire for her to take his mantle at the Emporium. With a little help from Henry Weston, a curious accountant (or mutant) played by Jason Bateman and Eric Applebaum, a young boy with an infinite number of hats, Molly may just find the faith she's lost in herself and in the emporium before Magorium leaves.
Magorium is the directorial debut of screenwriter Zach Helm. Helm wrote The comedic drama Stranger Than Fiction. A film which strove for a kaufmanesque style of Meta storytelling, yet it failed to find it's own distinct voice. It was a nice effort though. With Magorium Helm aims for a more family friendly audience with a film that feels more delightful than Levinson's Toys but doesn't sustain the classic feel of say Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Nonetheless it will certainly be a film worth seeing this holiday season. Considering what there is to see, The bloody and risqué PG-13 Beowulf, the tepid Fred Claus or more adult fare such as Lust Caution (a film I will review later.) Mr. Magorium's wonder Emporium will be a delightful dessert after the family's gorged itself with all the turkey and stuffing. The kids will love it's whimsical, "believe in yourself, anything is possible" philosophy while there's enough site gags, references to older toys and Dustin Hoffman's wonderful acting to keep the adults entertained. Helm populates his film with toys and games that will make many a grown person get all softy, reminiscing about the fun and sheer happiness they had as children and the toys that they befriended. Lord knows I did. Who wouldn't want a sock monkey or a mobile of fresh fish or even a book that could pop up any toy you so desired. If I had that book as a kid, I would've been extremely happy AND saved my dad tons of money! Sadly half my toy collection ended up in the lake behind our house. but only becuase the GI Joes had a secret mission to begin with. Toys will always find that warm place in people's hearts that take them back to a time when they were free, imaginative and full of wonder. And Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium will send you back to that place, if only for a couple of hours.
Up next we'll have a review for Ang Lee's newest oscar contender, Lust, Caution.
Till then,
Chaz