Asa Butterfield plays Hugo Cabret in the film directed by Martin Scorsese. Image: hugomovie.com
1. What is it about?
Hugo is a surprisingly faithful adaptation of a Caldecott-winning illustrated novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. With its foggy wrought-iron settings and its emphasis on the inner workings of all kinds of elaborate mechanical creations, it could almost be called steampunk — except that all the technology we see at use in Hugo really existed. Set in Paris after World War I, the story centers on 12-year-old Hugo (Asa Butterfield), a mechanical whiz like his late father who has been left the job of winding and maintaining all the clocks in a bustling train station by his alcoholic uncle, who has disappeared. When he’s not working or snatching food from the station cafes and patisseries, Hugo is trying to repair a mysterious automaton his father found languishing in a museum storeroom. To fix the mechanical man, who sits at a desk ready to write … something, Hugo has been swiping parts from a toy shop in the station owned by Pappa Georges (Ben Kingsley). Together with the toymaker’s goddaughter Isabelle (Chloë Grace Moretz), he tries to uncover the secret behind the automaton while avoiding the clutches of the orphan-hating station inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen).
2. What else is it about?
If you’ve read the book, you know that the early days of the movies play a big role. That celebration of the pioneers of the medium probably explains a lot of the positive reviews it’s been getting from the press. To say anything more would border on spoiler-ing. However, my editor really wants me to point you to this particular clip below, of a film which, we discover partway into the film, Hugo has heard about but never seen. (If you want to bone up even more before seeing the film, here’s a post that lists “10 classic films you must watch before seeing Hugo.”)
3. How does it compare to the book?
Given that the book’s illustrations are deliberately cinematic — almost like a storyboard — and that director Martin Scorsese has, up until now, been known as a maker of films that have a unique vision but are definitely not for children, it was a delight to see so many familiar images from the book brought to the screen. That’s not to say that this translation to film doesn’t add anything to the book; it most definitely does. Where Selznick uses movie stills, Scorsese is able to give us entire scenes. And where the author/illustrator used his realistically-rendered pencil drawings to create his world and his mood, Scorsese uses cinematic tricks old and new, from sepia tinting to CGI ash motes that sparkle like fairy dust in the scenes in the toy shop. It was particularly fun to see the all the clockwork machinery filling the clandestine nooks and crannies of the station. I also loved how Scorsese blurred fiction and reality by showing his actors filming scenes from authentic silent movies. As a whole, there are no wrong notes. If you loved the book, the movie will only enhance your appreciation.
4. Will my kids like it?
Again, if they are already fans of the book, they will have no problem with the movie. I will say that the undertone of darkness in the book is heightened in the movie. Although it’s rated PG and there is nothing unsuitable in terms of scary, violent or mature content, kids younger than 10 or so will probably find some parts of the story too sad. Its pace and mood are also on the slow and subtle side. There are some spectacular special effects, but this is not a movie for the car chase-and-explosion crowd.
5. Will I like it?
Going in, I had in mind a comment I read on Roger Ebert’s Facebook page: “The more I think about “Hugo,” the more I realize it’s about the cinema.” Having seen it, I can add it is also about magic and wonder, self-reliance, self-knowledge, and connections between people and generations. It is told in a straight-forward way, totally suitable for kids and yet not at all dumbed down. There is no meta-level of adult humor or comprehension; you and your kids will take it in in the same way. The characters have their faults, but are still likable. As the movie progresses, they grow and reveal themselves. If you’re ready to take a serious look at how human beings find fun and fulfillment, then this movie is for you.
6. How was the 3D?
Hugo is Scorsese’s first foray into 3D filmmaking. My family and I saw it in a newly-renovated theater with a giant screen and Surround Sound (as well as pristine, comfy, stadium seating). I am usually happy if 3D doesn’t make me dizzy. In this case, I thought there were some moments that made good use of the technology, and in general it didn’t get in the way of my enjoyment. I will say that looking at stills from the movie on the official website, it seems that part of the dark and foggy color of the movie was a result of the tinted glasses.
7. Any standout performances? Any surprises?
In a way, Hugo was more of an ensemble piece — although I did have a soft spot for Helen McCrory as Georges’ wife Mamma Jeanne. Relative newcomers Butterfield and Moretz as the two children handled their parts well. Butterfield in particular had the same sad-eyed look as the boy in Selznick’s illustrations. Ben Kingsley and Sacha Baron Cohen each did their own inimitable thing to perfection, as they always do. There were a couple of surprises in form of small but important parts by Jude Law and Christopher Lee. And watch for cameos by Scorsese and, I am pretty sure, the film’s producer Johnny Depp. All in all, though, leads and character actors alike were shown off to good effect in this well-worthwhile film.
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