“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” is a critically-acclaimed film from the year 2000. The movie is based on a book originally written by (Dr. Seuss), published in 1957. It is rated PG because some scenes can be labeled as scary and inappropriate for children’s eyes. This film has a total running time of 105 minutes. It has grossed $346.5 million dollars in the box office but only cost 123 million dollars to make, making it a major success. 

Background 

This story revolves around the Grinch. He is a bitter, grumpy, rude and ugly green creature. The setting of this story is in “Whoville”, a town which is filled with people known as Whos but only 1 Grinch. He resides in a cave on Mount Crumpit which is on the outskirts of the town. The Grinch is feared by everyone in the town and is known for his hatred of Christmas. When the Grinch was just a baby, he floated down from the sky in a basket just like all Whos are but he was different.

The Grinch was green skinned, had big yellow eyes, and lots of hair. His parents were normal Whos and they tried to raise the Grinch like he was a normal child. He was enrolled in school, dressed in who clothes, and ate normal food.  But he was anything but a normal child. He always had anger issues and a bad temper and a deep hatred towards Christmas.

Grinch’s turning point

There was only one year the Grinch ever felt in the Christmas spirit. When he was 8 years old, he had a crush on a girl in his class. Her name was Martha May and it appeared that she liked him back. But all the other kids in class would make fun of the Grinch and said he would never have a chance with Martha. On the holiday gift exchange, the Grinch decided to make a homemade gift for Martha. 

The day before a kid in his class made fun of him for being 8 years old with a beard. So when he got home he shaved for the first time. The Grinch failed and botched up his face badly. When he came to school the next day he tried to hide it with a paper bag but his teacher made it show his face. The entire class laughed and made fun of the Grinch, Martha was the only kid who did not. 

The Grinch was enraged and he slammed the gift on the floor, picked up the Christmas tree and threw it across the room. He also screamed “I HATE CHRISTMAS”. The Grinch then ran away and left to live by himself in the caves of Mount Crumpit. He stayed in isolation with himself for 53 years. 

Plot 

The Grinch plans to ruin Christmas for all the Whos. He goes to the post office to destroy and mess up the shipping with gifts. The Grinch then encounters Cindy Lou Who. He saves her after she falls into a mail-sorting machine. This is very odd for the Grinch because he is usually heartless and wouldn’t save anyone. Cindy was curious about the Grinch’s hatred for Christmas. Concerned about him, she learned about the Grinch’s past and how he was abandoned and then adopted and then ran away to the mountains.  

Cindy was very determined to include the Grinch in the Christmas festivities, she nominates him as the town’s Holiday Cheermeister, which none of the Whos in Whoville appreciated.  The Grinch reluctantly agrees to attend but his intentions were not pure.  He only saw it as an opportunity to confront his childhood bully and reunite with Martha.

 At the ceremony, the Grinch participates in events and starts to enjoy himself. He had felt joy for the first time in a while but his mood changes when MayWho (his former Bully)  gives him an electric razor as a cruel reminder of his past. MayWho wants to humiliate the Grinch so he proposes to Martha in front of everyone in Whoville.  

The Grinch was enraged and lashed out at the Whos, accusing them of valuing Christmas only for its materialism. He then goes on a destructive rampage. He shaves the mayor’s head, lights the town’s Christmas tree on fire all before returning to his cave on Mount Crumpit.

His Plan

After Grinch realizes that the Whos still plan to celebrate Christmas, the Grinch hatches a plan. Disguising himself as Santa Claus and dressing his dog Max as a reindeer he plans to steal all their presents, decorations, and food while they sleep. The Grinch had his mind set on ruining Christmas once and for all. 

He goes into Whoville on a sleigh he and his dog built. He starts his plan by sneaking into Cindy Lou Who’s house. When Cindy catches him stealing their Christmas tree, he lies to the poor girl. He pretended to be Santa taking the tree for repairs, then he escapes. This further shows how the Grinch truly felt no emotion besides hatred. The Grinch stripped the entire town of its Christmas goods and stuffed everything into a giant sack and brought it to the top of his home (Mount Crumpit), intending to push it off.

On Christmas morning, all the Whos woke up to see the theft.  Mayor MayWho accuses Cindy for giving the Grinch the opportunity to ruin their holiday, but her father, Lou Lou Who defends her. He reminds the town that Christmas is about more than gifts and decorations. Inspired by his words, the Whos come together, join hands, and begin singing Christmas carols, showing that their spirit remains unbroken.

Ending

As the Grinch prepares to push the massive sack off the mountain, he hears the Whos singing below and realizes that his plan has failed. Struck by the true meaning of Christmas, the Grinch’s heart literally grows three sizes.  Just then, the sleigh, with Cindy Lou Who, who had climbed aboard without him knowing, begins to slip over the edge of the cliff. In an act of heroism, the Grinch saves both Cindy and the sleigh, returning all the stolen Christmas goods to the town.

Back in Whoville, the Grinch apologizes and surrenders to the authorities. But fed up with MayWho’s selfishness, Martha May returns his engagement ring and professes her love for the Grinch. In the end, Grinch invites the Whos to celebrate Christmas in his cave on Mount Crumpit and everyone lives happily. 

Rating 

This film has a 6.3/10 star rating on IMBd. It has a mediocre rating of 49% of rotten tomatoes and only a 46% on metacritic. Despite not having the best ratings and overall grades, this movie has instantly become a holiday classic and a movie never forgotten. 

My opinion 

This movie was very good and is a must watch. As a younger child some scenes could be quite scary so I would advise that ages 8+ watch it. Overall,  it had lots of funny moments/jokes, and a very good plot. I love the ending where Grinch’s heart grew. I think it was a very solid movie.