Movie
description |
-Natalie
Portman
-Dustin
Hoffman
In
writer-director
Zach
Helm's
whimsical
2007
film,
MR.
MAGORIUM'S
WONDER
EMPORIUM,
veteran
actor
Dustin
Hoffman
plays
the
title
character,
a
243-year-old
toy-store
owner
who
is
ready
to
pass
his
enchanted
business
on
to
his
beloved
assistant,
Molly
Mahoney
(Natalie
Portman).
However,
when
Molly,
a
former
composer
and
pianist,
has
doubts
about
taking
over
the
(literally)
magical
store,
and
an
uptight
accountant
(Jason
Bateman)
appears
to
assess
the
establishment,
the
many
inhabitants
of
the
Wonder
Emporium
begin
to
rebel,
resulting
in a
chaotic
situation
that
can
be
fixed
only
with
the
help
of a
shy,
lonely
boy
(Zach
Mills).
A
first-time
director
best
known
for
his
inventive
STRANGER
THAN
FICTION
screenplay,
Helm
ably--ahem--helms
EMPORIUM,
which
clearly
nods
to
the
WONKA
and
TOY
STORY
movies
without
seeming
derivative.
Always
one
to
dive
gamely
into
a
quirky
role
(see
TOOTSIE,
RAIN
MAN,
HOOK,
etc.),
Hoffman
makes
Magorium
both
silly
and
endearing,
while
Portman
charms
as
his
earnest
protégé,
and
Bateman
provides
an
enjoyable
level
of
skepticism
while
enduring
the
nickname
"The
Mutant."
Although
the
film's
playful
quality
could
veer
toward
excess,
its
thoughtful
script
and
able
actors
allow
it
to
stand
out
as a
highly
entertaining
production.
Rated
PG
Portions
of
this
page
Copyright
1948-2006 Muze
Inc.
and
Muze
Europe
Ltd.
All
rights
reserved. |
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