How the Grinch stole Christmas (4 Stars)

My grandson Oliver wanted to sit with me to watch "Rare Exports", but his mother dragged him out of my room because its age rating is 16. To be honest, I think she was wrong. In Germany the age ratings are recommendations, not legally binding. Even cinemas have the freedom to let younger people in, if they consider the rating to be incorrect, although they rarely do so. The only case I've experienced in my local cinema was the opposite direction. "Barbie" had an age rating of 6, but my cinema decided not to admit anyone under 12. That was the correct choice, in my opinion. "Barbie" is rated 12 in America, England and most other countries. Germany wasn't quite alone in its low rating. In France the film is rated 0.

When I watch a film with Oliver that I've seen before, I'm the person best qualified to decide if it's suitable for him. "Rare Exports" has very limited violence, so it wouldn't have harmed him at his current age of eight years old. He watches worse things on YouTube every day. His mother (my daughter) is incapable of making decisions like that. She just looks at the age rating on the disc and sticks to it. She should trust my judgement.

I suggested "How the Grinch stole Christmas" because I knew it wouldn't be a problem for her. The age rating is 6. It was the first film I watched in the cinema after returning to England in 2000. I don't remember why I wanted to see it. I wasn't a Christmas fan, even then. At the time I wasn't even a Jim Carrey fan, but in retrospect I enjoyed it. The film is naively moving. The Grinch is a more complicated character than Ebenezer Scrooge. He's not just opposed to Christmas, he rejects society in general. He was an outcast as a child because he was born with green skin. Does that remind you of "Wicked"? Now he lives as a recluse high on the mountain outside Whoville. Everyone hates him, except for six-year-old Cindy Lou. She believes that everyone should be loved at Christmas, even the Grinch. We need more people like that in the world.

It's a beautiful film. Maybe not a film that I'd watch every year for Christmas, but I'll probably watch it again with my younger grandchildren.

Since moving out of my parents' home I've never had a Christmas tree, but if Santa Claus looked like this I'd have a tree every year. I'd even sing "Jingle Bells" for her.

Success Rate:  + 0.8

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