Over the years there have been renditions of the book: How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Dr. Seuss’ Grinch story was originally published in 1957. Movies made based on the infamous book, are How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), and The Grinch (2018). Even though they are based on the same book, both tell different stories.

Jim Carrey stars in the classic live-action movie from 2000, where they tell the story of the Grinch who never was welcomed within the Who community. The children constantly made laughed at him and judged him for the way he looked. A little girl named Cindy Lou Who spends the Christmas season trying to find her purpose within The Who love for Christmas. Throughout the movie, she finds that the misunderstood Grinch needs help and tries to involve him within the Who community. When Cindy Lou tried to get the Grinch to love Christmas, the townspeople again rejected the Grinch. Angered, he wanted to prove to the Who’s that Christmas was not all about gifts and food, so he decided to steal Christmas. In the end, he realized that he was wrong about it all and found love in his heart. Together the town and the Grinch found love. This movie ties together all parts of the story from the original book and makes it meaningful.

Sadly, The Grinch starring Benedict Cumberbatch, in all honesty, did not do the original Grinch story justice. Jim Carrey’s performance was just top notch and while the animated version was still good, it could not beat How the Grinch Stole Christmas of 2000. The storyline changed, instead of Cindy Lou trying to understand the meaning of Christmas, she spends most of the movie trying to get a letter to Santa for her mom. It just did not embody the true aim of the story being The Grinch. There was not much bonding happening between the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who. The bond that they created was kind of just thrown in there with no development.  Although this version (2018) had the best music of the two movies. I love the little twist they put on Christmas song classics, making the songs more modern than classic.

Jim Carrey’s Grinch was a great creation overall, which showed Christmas is truly not about gifts, but about coming together with loved ones. It does a wonderful job of showing that Christmas is about friends, family, and love. But in its own respects, the 2018 version is animated nicely.