Where the Wild Things Are

2009. Dir: Spike Jonze. Starring: Max Records, Catherine Keener, James Gandolfini, Catherine O'Hara and Lauren Ambrose. ●●●●●



I will start this review by confessing that I have never read Maurice Sendak's Where the wild things are. Regardless of it's status as one of the greatest children's books ever written I was never exposed to it's beauty as a child. The biggest compliment I can say having seen the film is "I wish I had". If the book has even half the emotional richness that the film has then every child should have that opportunity.

By now you probably know that I liked Where the Wild Things Are. I really really liked it.



The plot (bearing in mind this is not really plot driven) follows a small boy (Max Records) first in his normal every day life then, following an arguement with his mother (Catherine Keener), in a fantasy land populated by "Wild Things" where he escapes to. In both environments he plays, fights, builds forts and (fails to)connects with everyone else.

There are so many things this film gets right it's difficult to choose which ones to look at. Primarily the casting of Max is perfect. I don't know whether the boy can act but he was incredibly natural, both on screen and in his actions. The changes in emotional state from joy to fear to petulance as perfectly played and as spontaneous as children can be. Later as Max begins to realise the psychology of the Wild Things and as he appreciates the shift in dynamics that takes him from being the child to the parent he handles the subtle changes incredibly well.

The screenplay perfectly judges to tone. It is a kids film, they could watch it and understand everything that is being said, enjoy the comedy of throwing mud balls at each other and feel the fear when the Wild Things may turn on Max. Yet it's also an adults film. In growing up we start to hide all those emotions that Max allows to run rampant, but that doesn't mean they don't exist - or that they ever fully go away. As an adult I can recognise those Wild Things and appreciate them - I want ot be Max and face them.

The Wild things themselves are brilliant. Both as physical creations - the things they do are pure fantasy but because they are real people in big suits (with some addition FX shots to clean up the facial expressions) we can feel their movements as much as see them. The voice performances are all suited to the characteristics their Wild Things portray, but special kudos go to Lauren Ambrose as K.W. (representing the pull of family) and Paul Dano as Alexander (loneliness).

A brilliant film that should be seen by everyone.