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Movies / On DVD / How the Grinch Stole Christmas
How the Grinch Stole Christmas

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How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

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Reviews Counted:30

Fresh:16

Rotten:14

Average Rating:5.2/10

Consensus: Jim Carrey shines as the Grinch. Unfortunately, it's not enough to save this movie. You'd be better off watching the TV cartoon.

Rated: PG [See Full Rating] some crude humor

Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins

Genre: Comedies

Theatrical Release:Nov 17, 2000 Wide

Box Office: $259,011,600

Synopsis: Director Ron Howard casts comedian Jim Carrey in the title role in this live-action adaptation of the famous Christmas tale by Dr. Seuss, giving this rendition of HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS a... Director Ron Howard casts comedian Jim Carrey in the title role in this live-action adaptation of the famous Christmas tale by Dr. Seuss, giving this rendition of HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS a delightfully manic spin. Carrey is virtually unrecognizable in his elaborate green makeup, but his anarchic comic touch is unmistakable. He manages to fully embody the grumpy title character, while still supplying his own comedic touches, and it is his performance that makes the film a treat for adults and children alike. The candy-colored set design for the town of Whoville and the jubilant score contribute to the overall feeling of innocuous fantasy that the Grinch disrupts with his dastardly deeds. The familiar story of the Grinch stealing every present in town on Christmas Eve has been expanded to incorporate flashbacks to the Grinch's childhood, which serve to explain his hostility toward the Whos. As Cindy Lou-Who, a little girl so sweet she sees goodness even in the Grinch, young Taylor Momsen strikes just the right note of adorable ingenuousness. Howard gets the performance the film needs from her, as her character makes the Grinch's eventual change of heart both believable and touching. [More]

Starring: Jim Carrey, Molly Shannon, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Baranski

Starring: Jim Carrey, Molly Shannon, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Baranski, Verne Troyer, Mindy Sterling, Bill Irwin, Clint Howard, Taylor Momsen

Director: Ron Howard

Director: Ron Howard
Screenwriter: Jeffrey Price, Peter S. Seaman
Producer: Brian Grazer
Composer: James Horner
Studio: Universal Pictures

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Release:

Nov 15, 2002

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Reviews for How the Grinch Stole Christmas

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1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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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.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment 1 Comment
02/05/08
Lisa Alspector
Lisa Alspector
Chicago Reader
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Shrill, strenuous and entirely without charm.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment 2 Comments
02/05/08
Todd McCarthy
Todd McCarthy
Variety
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How the Grinch stole Christmas is one kind of larceny. How Jim Carrey steals the picture is another matter entirely.

Full Review Source: Globe and Mail | comment Comment
03/19/02
Rick Groen
Rick Groen
Globe and Mail
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Perhaps 20 minutes too long and subject to torpor.

Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
08/17/01
J. Hoberman
J. Hoberman
Village Voice
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Less entertaining, less enlightening and less educational than either the book or the video.

Full Review Source: Good Morning America | comment Comment
04/23/01
Joel Siegel
Joel Siegel
Good Morning America
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It's not Christmas that's being stolen here. It's the spirit of Dr. Seuss.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
01/01/00
Desson Thomson
Desson Thomson
Washington Post
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Generally delightful live-action adaptation of the children's classic.

Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | comment Comment
01/01/00
Eric Harrison
Eric Harrison
Houston Chronicle
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Carrey enables Ron Howard's version of the classic story to come across as more of a welcome endeavor than a pointless re-tread.

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
01/01/00
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
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An instant classic that will keep people streaming into multiplexes this year and for many more to come.

comment Comment
01/01/00
Jay Carr
Jay Carr
Boston Globe
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What they forgot to budget for was heart.

Full Review Source: Newsday | comment Comment
01/01/00
John Anderson
John Anderson
Newsday
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Actually pretty entertaining, even for grown-ups, once you get through the first 10.

Full Review Source: New York Post | comment Comment
01/01/00
Jonathan Foreman
Jonathan Foreman
New York Post
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Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas is one overstuffed movie, but it's by no means a turkey.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment Comment
01/01/00
Kenneth Turan
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

You've got a stinker that deserves to be locked away in the yuletide bomb shelter along with Scrooged and Santa Claus: The Movie.

Full Review Source: Mr. Showbiz | comment Comment
01/01/00
Kevin Maynard
Kevin Maynard
Mr. Showbiz
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At its center, it has Carrey, whose nasty, catty Grinch is a hoot and a half.

comment Comment
01/01/00
Michael Wilmington
Michael Wilmington
Chicago Tribune
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This is Jim Carrey's show, and he just about wraps the movie around his spindly green middle finger.

Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly | comment Comment
01/01/00
Owen Gleiberman
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
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If you have little moviegoers around for the holidays, you should still make the trip to Whovillie.

Full Review Source: CNN.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
Paul Clinton (CNN.com)
Paul Clinton (CNN.com)
CNN.com
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

This Grinch isn't so bad. It's quite merry. Very!

Full Review Source: Toronto Star | comment Comment
01/01/00
Peter Howell
Peter Howell
Toronto Star
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Overall, the film sparkles. But it's a curiously unaffecting sparkle.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | comment Comment
01/01/00
Peter Stack
Peter Stack
San Francisco Chronicle
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Nobody wants to leave Grinch feeling grouchy. And probably nobody will.

Full Review Source: Dallas Morning News | comment Comment
01/01/00
Philip Wuntch
Philip Wuntch
Dallas Morning News
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Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Denver Rocky Mountain News | comment Comment
01/01/00
Robert Denerstein
Robert Denerstein
Denver Rocky Mountain News
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Latest News for How the Grinch Stole Christmas

August 01, 2007: Trailer Bulletin: Horton Hears a Who
The last few times somebody tried to turn Dr. Seuss into a movie, the results were ... How the Grinch Stole Christmas and (dear lord) The Cat in the Hat. And then somebody got... More...

February 05, 2007: Jim Carrey Talks About Voicing Dr. Seuss' "Horton"
Jim Carrey did such a bang up job as the live-action "Grinch" that he's landed himself another Dr. Seuss gig. The "Horton Hears a Who" film will be animated... More...

September 13, 2006: Funny Men Carrey, Carell Re-Team for "Who"
Jim Carrey is teaming up with Dr. Seuss once more, and this time, Steve Carell is tagging, The reason? Probably because they had so much fun in "Bruce Almighty."... More...

December 21, 2005: Critical Consensus: "Dick & Jane" Not Much Fun; "Cheaper" Is Bankrupt
This week's wide releases include a remake ("Fun With Dick and Jane") and a sequel to a remake ("Cheaper By the Dozen 2"). Will critics be laughing at these... More...

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