For a film with such a big, whimsical name, Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium falls flat. It’s the story of a pernickety old geezer played by Dustin Hoffman who claims to be 243 years old. He runs a ‘magical’ toyshop where the toys have lives of their own. Airplanes fly around feverishly, stuffed animals move and show emotion, and there is a room which changes according to a mechanical switch. The store’s apprentice is played by Natalie Portman, whose hairstyle and attire makes her look like a 13 year old from 1982. She works at the store but secretly longs to regain her knack for composing music, which she apparently lost because she has stopped believing in magic in the doldrums of adulthood.
The Plot
The plotline of this movie is very much paint by numbers. There’s nothing particularly new, special, or even really watchable about it. The story arc involves Mr. Magorium’s retirement (he is ‘choosing’ to die, evidently, because he has gone through the last of his Italian shoes). Of course, his dutiful apprentice is named beneficiary, and must decide whether to accept. All of this is done in a very haphazard, yet predictable way, and you get the feeling the actors are just plodding along until the end of the 93 minute running time.
The Tone
The death of Mr. Magorium is thrown in as a sort of darker level to the film, perhaps meant to teach kids something about the inevitability of death. Yet the tone of these machinations is not quite right and it all ends up seeming a bit creepy and macabre.
The Acting
It’s a shame that the acting talent is wasted here. Dustin Hoffman is one of the finest character actors of a generation. Yet here, with his hobo-like hair and clothes and annoying half-lisp, he comes across as limp and even creepy (and not in a good way as Gene Wilder did in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory). Natalie Portman too can’t seem to find the right note in her conflicted heroine. And Jason Bateman has the cliché role of boring businessman who eventually warms up and loosens his collar.
The Visual Effects
One redeeming thing for this movie should have been its special effects. Indeed, the flying toys, starry ceilings, and giant book which manifests whatever toys you ask for are nice touches. But they don’t seem to be big enough. They are not over-the-top or memorable enough to keep us fixated on the screen. Surely the little ones will be captivated for a moment. There are enough bright colors, whirling objects, and silly shenanigans to stimulate them. But for adults, the experience may be too much to bear.
A Positive Note
The one saving grace of the movie is the story line involving 9 year old outsider Eric, played by Zach Mills, who holds his own against the bigger stars and garners arguably the only true sympathy in the film. He comes to the store every day wearing a different one of his prized hats and yet can’t seem to find any friends. He attempts to befriend Jason Bateman’s character, and their scenes together connecting in innocent childish glee seem quite heartfelt, and make for the most genuine moments of the film.
So, while there are a few sweet moments and some decent effects, this movie lacks the whimsy it needs to win audiences. It is lifeless, predictable, and creepy when it should be rousing, imaginative, and joyous. Try as they might, the talented cast and filmmakers can’t seem to conjure the magic necessary for a film like this to live up to its name.
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