Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

The inspirational trailer and promise of tempur-pedic seats were certainly abundant reasons to get me out to Jordan's Furniture (an amazing place involving trapeze artists, jelly bean sculptures, Fuddruckers, furniture, and an Imax theater) to see Where the Wild Things Are. Twice. Based on Maurice Sendak's beloved children's book, the film describes the amazing journey of Max (Max Records), a young boy who travels across the sea to escape his family life. His older sister ignores him, and his overworked single mother (Catherine Keener) doesn't know how to handle his wild outbursts. After sending him to dinner without supper, he runs away into a forest and finds a small sailboat which takes him away to an island populated by large composite beasts.

One of the monsters, Carol (James Gandolfini), is afraid of being alone and worried that this small monster family is drifting apart after his friend KW (Lauren Ambrose) leaves for new friends. He sees an ally in Max, who convinces the group that he is a powerful explorer and ruler who can help them be happy. They make him their king and he does his best to deal with their crippling emotional and social problems, sometimes doing fun stuff like leading the wild rumpus and building a huge fort, and sometimes causing problems like inviting KW's unwelcome buddies over or staging a mock-war that causes some real pain. After recognizing the parallels to his own life and personality, he learns some things and maybe even grows up a little.

I wasn't super-into this book as a kid, so my love for this doesn't stem from some exaggerated nostalgia- it's good without all that. Where the Wild Things Are is an open, inviting look into the alienation and confusion often brought upon by being a child. We are treated to incredibly personal glimpses of Max's life, and I almost felt like a part of them due to the intimate way in which the scenes are filmed. Despite being unable to relate to Max's wild abandon and uncontrolled angry outbursts (as a kid I was more into pacifistic make-believe and reading lots of books), I still found his character sympathetic and likable- a combination of Max Records' great performance and the well-executed script. He keeps the movie grounded and cohesive.

This film is so impressively and beautifully layered, I don't believe it's intended primarily for children. Jonze and Eggers have taken a textually sparse story and drawn out its emotional richness with a nuanced and engaging script. The myriad issues experienced by the characters aren't completely spelled out, but demonstrated in a way that's relatable and complex, resulting in a highly affecting film. The addition of gorgeous cinematography, imaginative character design, and a musical score that fits like a glove only increases the wonder of Where the Wild Things Are. It's a lovely film, all around: fun, intelligent, and slightly heartbreaking (yeah I cried, at both viewings, at the exact same part... that's emotional resonance for you). I'd recommend it in Imax, if it's available near you.

4.5/5

PS Also, seriously, Karen O's soundtrack is phenomenal. I have been obsessing over it all week. I'm glad they got someone who's so good at howling to do the music, but am also digging the slower, more melodic pieces. Check out these songs:

"All Is Love"
"Capsize"
"Rumpus"