Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events

Aghhhh! Jim Carrey. The mere mention of that man's name in association with a film is enough to send some people to the door. Oh well, if you are still reading it means that you don't either love him (in which case you are coming regardless) or hate him (and you're not) which means there is some pressure on me to write a good review.

Lemony Snicket is one of a number of wierd films in this season. It is a kids' movie but is not for kids. Count Olaf (Carrey) is a mean twisted old man that inherits his dead brother's children, Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire. They happen to be very rich and if they die Olaf will get the money, hence a series of "unfortunate events" where they might accidentally die. This is a dark film, this is cold film, this is a funny film. Violet (Emily Browning) can invent anything from anything and puts on her thinking ribbon (you'll see) a number of times to get Klaus, Sunny and herself out of trouble as they are moved around by Mr Poe (essentially the local social services) between family members with the evil Olaf and his disguises following them around. There is a nice understory to do with the dead parents, but I don't want to give everything away now do I?

Throw in a bunch of travelling actors/actresses that eat/drink too much, some slightly illegal marriage of underage children, man eating fish, a very gentle snake and some nice "family" moments and you have a cracking film which is worth watching on a Thursday night. Jim is tolerable if you don't like him and quirky enough if you do. The young actor/actress in the lead roles (after Jim) are very good and hold their own well. Meryl Streep is good in her cameo and Billy Connelly has a couple of interesting scenes.