Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)

My Review

“Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” is a dark comedy film that tells the story of three orphaned children forced to live with a distant relative, who is not necessarily sympathetic to their plight. Director Brad Silberling (“City of Angels” 1998) and screenwriter Robert Gordon keep the mood of the film light and witty, considering the undercurrent of tragic subject matter that could overwhelm the audience.

Silberling somehow managed to get maximum layered performances out of the very talented and diverse cast. This includes Jim Carrey, Jude Law, Meryl Streep, Catherine O’Hara, Billy Connolly, Cedric the Entertainer, Luis Guzman, Timothy Spall, Craig Ferguson, Jennifer Coolidge, Jane Adams, and Jamie Harris. The young actors playing the Baudelaire children did a marvelous job: Emily Browning, Liam Aiken, and Kara & Shelby Hoffman. There are uncredited cameos by Helena Bonham-Carter, Dustin Hoffman, Jane Lynch, Amy Brenneman, Gilbert Gottfried, and Daniel Handler, the author of the “Lemony Snicket” book series.

The very watchable “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” was successful at the box office for Nickelodeon Movies, Parkes/MacDonald Productions, DreamWorks Pictures, and Paramount Pictures.