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Why 'Where the Wild Things Are' is the perfect kids' movie for grown-ups
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There's a reason adults still smile when they say Maurice Sendak's name.
At the end of the day, despite all the cares of their important grown-up world filled with recessions, wars and Glenn Beck, they really just want to don a wolf costume and join the Wild Rumpus.
Can you blame them? Sendak's iconic children's book "Where the Wild Things Are," first published in 1963, has given millions of readers worldwide a taste of pure, unadulterated adventure, and, like Max, they've all got a persistent sweet tooth.
For those craving another chance to savor the imaginative treat of their childhood, the film adaptation of Sendak's work might just be their Everlasting Gobstobber.
This astounding movie, created by Academy Award-nominated director Spike Jonze and co-written by literary superman Dave Eggers, gives unexpected depth to the psyche of Max, the young protagonist of the classic story.
Eggers dove headfirst into the world Sendak created and came back with a rich, rewarding set of characters that transformed a 10-sentence book into a 101-minute screenplay. Max's emotional vulnerability in his home life presents a powerful prologue to his fantastical experiences on the Island of the Wild Things, where the creatures make him their king and follow his commands.
It is in this wondrous land of varied landscapes, towering creatures and dirt clod wars that the audience gets a poignant look into the psyche of a young boy longing for companionship and acceptance in light of his parents' separation. The pack of Wild Things illustrate different pieces of Max and his life, highlighting both the simple surface-level behaviors caused by emotional pain and the complex underlying motivations for those actions.
It's not solely a somber affair, however, as Max's time on the Island is marked by raucous celebrations, burgeoning friendships and awe-inspiring scenery.
These contrasting moods blend to form a meaningful, thought-provoking piece of art with a vibrant, youthful spirit. Although this combination results in a few weaknesses – uneven pacing and a slight dragging of the narrative – it manages to captivate both intellect and imagination. Not an easy feat.
It is this unconventional mix of depth and whimsy, poignancy and frivolity that gives the film and the story its resonance with adults and the kids they still are.
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