Wild Things

I never read Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s story Where the Wild Things Are. I’d seen the illustrations and they didn’t appeal to me and didn’t seem to be the kind of stuff I wanted my two young sons to experience when they were little.

We saw the movie on Saturday night and I’m still not sure it’s appropriate for little kids. I think of my young nieces and nephews and my 5-year-old granddaughter and expect they would find parts of it unsettling, maybe even terrifying.

That said, it’s a brilliant, insightful film that deserves to be in the hunt for an Oscar next year. The characters have wit and sensitivity beyond what I’m used to seeing on the big screen. The choice of 12-year-old Max Records to play Max is absolutely inspired. James Gandolfini’s voice work as Carol was brilliant and I had no idea I was hearing his voice until the credits rolled. Catherine O’Hara was the only other “big” name doing voice work and matched her character seamlessly.

This is a movie for young adults through senior citizens (I got in on a senior discount. Heh, heh.) who can appreciate its subtleties.

We took Austin along and I think he recognized himself in Max based on the emotional rollercoaster he endured during and after his parents’ divorce. This will resonate with a lot of people whose childhoods were scarred by divorce.

But even I, who had a Leave it to Beaver-style childhood, found elements of my experiences in Max’s journey.

So I guess you could say I liked it.