It seems uncanny that children's books have inspired some of the most famous filmmakers this year. In the wake of the mixed feelings that were brought about from Spike Jonze's adaptation of the popular children's book Where The Wild Things Are, The Fantastic Mr. Fox is sure to bring about a wave of positive feelings towards children's literature turned film.
With films such as Rushmore, The Life Aquatic, and Academy Award nominated The Royal Tenenbaums, Wes Anderson has quite a reputation for obscure and meticulously crafted movies that have a huge following.
His latest work, a masterful stop-motion animation adaptation of the beloved Roald Dahl classic Fantastic Mr. Fox follows suit. Anderson certainly stayed true to the work of Mr. Dahl who has created famous works such as Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, James and The Giant Peach and Matilda.
Mr. Fox is a perfect choice for Anderson in that it features characters that are quite similar to his usual lineup. The beautiful thing about Wes Anderson's characters is that they are always surrounded by conflicts that can bring about a monumental life change if resolved.
Unorthodox father figures and insecure children are shown on the screen who we can all relate to. They're almost always in some sort of search for their niche in society. Anderson exposes the successes, failures, and anxieties of these characters in a playful fashion that allows the viewer to not only relate to them, but take pride in them. This pride comes from the fact that we all experience these universal feelings in our own way.
"And so it begins."
Mr. Fox (charmingly voiced by George Clooney)is a dysfunctional father who has ditched the lifestyle of a chicken thief to please his wife, Mrs. Fox (Meryl Streep) and son Ash (Jason Schwartzman). A dozen fox years later, the former carnivore turned newspaper columnist finds himself in a bit of a midlife crisis as he tries to keep his "wild animal craziness" tied down. His attempt at solving this crisis leads him on a raid of the three meanest farmers in the land, Boggis, Bunce, & Bean.
This raid is one that his advisor and lawyer who just happens to be a badger (voiced by the one and only Bill Murray) strongly advises against. In this meeting between both badger and fox, the all-purpose expletive "cuss" is revealed.
This choice will undoubtedly leave parents happy that their kids aren't hearing any actual "cussing." And anyone who can't laugh at a badger exclaiming "Are you cussin with me?" which elicits a response from a fox like "I sure as cuss am!" has no soul. This is only one example of the many characteristics these animals share with humans, which leave an entire theater rolling in laughter. Early success provides Mr. Fox with a taste of the old glory as a thief who suddenly has all the food his heart desires.
Yet, when the plans backfire, the farmers force he and his family into a hole that he can only get out of with the teamwork and help of his animal friends.
As I left the theater, I genuinely thought about the wide range of family members I could have seen this with over the break. My grandmother would have laughed uncontrollably, and so would my youngest cousins. With a humorous take on the aspects of life we all experience, the originality and fun-loving nature of this film make it a must-see for anyone.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
