The Addams Family (1991)
Dir. Barry Sonnenfeld
Writ. Charles Addams, Caroline Thompson
Stars: Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd
Rated PG-13
99 mins.
Comedy, Fantasy
IMDB Rating, 6.8
What do you say about The Addams Family? This movie came out the year I was born so I’ve seen it hundreds of times. It’s hard to give a review when I know the movie line by line, you know?
Essentially, the important things to point out are the amazing costumes and really all of the mise-en-scene! Everything about the Addams is so fantastical yet it contrasts with the outside world beautifully. It doesn’t FEEL like magical realism because of how normal everything and everyone else outside their family, car, home, ect is. All of the little things, like the bear rug that is alive for example, makes the movie so fun!
Also, the family structure is just amazing. It’s hilarious that they’re all so sick and twisted as viewed against regular people in society around them, but at the core of it all, they have probably the healthiest and most wonderful family structure in film! Yes, you have Wednesday trying to kill her brother repeatedly, but you also have two bright, creative, imaginative children who play together and don’t fight each other. You have a mother and father who teach their kids manners (odd manners, but manners in their own way), who answer their questions instead of ‘because I said so’, and who clearly adore their children the way a lot of parents aren’t depicted doing in film. They encourage them in all of their endeavors the way parents SHOULD and it’s very amazing. Morticia and Gomez treat each other with deep love and respect in a way that comes across as so realistic in spite of how fantastic their characters are. And not to mention Grandmama, Fester, and even Thing and Lurch all interacting as a warm, happy family unit.
Also, the obvious, the movie is hilarious! The scenes have very dramatic and over the top humor that actually <i>works</i> and never drag. There isn’t a dull moment in the whole film! It’s definitely THE quintessential family Halloween movie.
My Rating: 7/10
