Movie Breakdown: Pinocchio

Pre-Screening Stance:

While I’m certainly a bit baffled as to why there’s need to be yet another take on Pinocchio, I’m also excited for the film because it’s from Guillermo del Toro. If we’re lucky, his version will be so immensely great that no one else will bother to do another one for a solid century or so.

Post-Screening Ramble:

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is a sad ride, but it’s really well done. The film begins with an introduction to Geppetto (David Bradley) and Carlo (Alfie Tempest) – the former is a well respected and liked woodcarver in a small Italian town, and the latter is his beloved (and essentially, perfect) son. When Carlo gets killed, it sends Geppetto into a drunken spiral that culminates in an emotional moment where he cuts down a tree (planted in honor of his late son) and crafts Pinocchio. Add in a dash of magic from a Wood Sprite (Tilda Swinton), and boom, the wooden boy is now alive. From here, del Toro makes his move to really set his version of Pinocchio out on its own. Where the titular character is usually a boy who needs to learn to behave, in this film he’s actually in the right to be cheerful, independent, and disobedient, as he lives in a fascist Italy and is surrounded by metaphorical puppets (i.e. adults). It’s an interesting turn and when you combine that with the movie’s abstract humor and its absolutely stunning visuals, you get something that is both different and worthwhile. On the less positive side of things, I did think the film started to feel long in the third act, and the musical numbers – while not bad – come off as unnecessary. Less is more, Mr. del Toro.

Pinocchio hits Netflix this Friday, December 9. You should check it out.

One Last Thought:

I’d watch a movie about Ewan McGregor’s Sebastian J. Cricket. The character is billed as having enough worthwhile stories to warrant a memoir, which is tough for any human but unimaginable for a cricket, plus McGregor voices him with such enthusiasm.