THE ADDAMS FAMILY (2019) – Review

Move over ABOMINABLE, it’s time for another big animated feature film to hit the ole’ multiplex. Unlike the past Summer’s hit TOY STORY 4 and the upcoming FROZEN 2, it’s not a sequel, but it’s not exactly an original concept or idea. Even though the characters have been kicking around the pop culture ozone since 1937, they’re now in “uncharted territory”. Yes, it was over eighty years ago when Charles Addams debuted this frightfully funny family in the New Yorker magazine. They were part of a series of “one panel” cartoons so popular that they continued to pop up in issues, eventually being collected in book form. Eventually their creator gave them first names (Gomez, Morticia) along with the same surname as the artist. It wasn’t until the 1960s that they gained their greatest fame as part of the fantasy TV sitcom fad (begun by MY FAVORITE MARTIAN and encompassing BEWITCHED, I DREAM OF JEANNIE, and some equally odd neighbors living at 1313 Mockingbird Lane). Now, there’s a bit of controversy around who arrived first. The Addams project was first announced in the “trades” and eventually “beat” THE MUNSTERS to the airwaves by six days. After its brief (only two seasons) run on ABC-TV, the family returned as a Hanna-Barbera Saturday morning cartoon in 1973 (with son Pugsley voiced by Jodie Foster), and was revived by the same studio in 1992. The previous year saw the release of an enormously popular live-action feature film, with a sequel coming out in 1994 (25 years, wow). Now, after a recent Broadway musical, they’re back on the big screen, not in live-action or in 2-D “cell” animation, but in 3D-like CGI renderings. So, as that peppy ole’ theme music from Vic Mizzy says, “…it’s time to pay a call on… THE ADDAMS FAMILY”.

Let’s label this romp an “origin story”, to borrow a term from the superheroes. Thirteen (of course) years ago, the entire Addams clan is gathered in the “old country” for the midnight wedding of Gomez Addams (voice of Oscar Isaac) and Morticia Frump (Charlize Theron). Unfortunately, before their first dance, the locals arrive with the pitchforks and torches (they may have wondered over from the Universal backlot). There’s only one place the lovebirds can go. With the helping hand of Thing, they make it to America. After “acquiring” their hulking servant Lurch (Conrad Vernon), the Addams newlyweds settle into their new home. Not a museum (as the song states), but an abandoned, haunted asylum. As we forge into the present day we view pics of the family’s expansion, first with gloomy daughter Wednesday (Chloe Grace Moretz), then son Pugsley (Finn Wolfhard). They adore their secluded haven until a red balloon drifts into the yard. The fog lifts to reveal, far below them, a brightly painted planned community. Said “planner” is none other but cable TV’s design and decorating diva Margaux Needler (Alison Janney), who now has “designs” on the creepy mansion overlooking her “picture perfect’ village of Assimilation. Gomez decides to take a break from preparing Pugsley for his Mazurka sword ceremony, assisted by the newly arrived Uncle Fester (Nick Kroll). and greet their new “neighbors”. Wednesday bonds with Margaux’s teenage daughter Parker (Elsie Fisher) and decides to join her at the “middle school”. Can she possibly “fit in”? And what nefarious scheme is Margaux plotting as the Addams distant relatives begin to arrive for Pugsley’s “big day”? Will the celebration become a catastrophe? And, just what is Cousin It (Snoop Dog) babbling about?

An interesting mix of actors (a couple of Oscar winners) and comedians have been assembled to give voice to the famous family and fiends…er, friends. Isaac is a smooth as silk classic Latin lover type as patriarch Gomez. Theron’s Morticia is the epitome of the oh so cool vamp as the matriarch. There’s a terrific energetic raspy cackle to Kroll’s Fester. Margaux has a patronizing “sing-song” delivery, all saccharine with a hint of strychnine thanks to Janney. Unfortunately, the kids feel a tad bland, with Moretz trying to come across as an aloof sounding menace, but seems more bored than demented, while Wolfhard only gives Pugsley an anxious, breathy quality. Luckily comic vets Bette Middler as Grandmama along Catherine O’Hara and Martin Short as the Frump ghosts (SCTV reunion…yes) provide lots of chuckles in their limited screen time. And Vernon gives Lurch a most impressive guttural growl.

In addition, he’s co-director with Greg Tiernan on this, their first big project since 2016’s racy and raunchy SAUSAGE PARTY (quite a turnabout from those R-rated hi-jinks to this family-friendly PG project). For the most part, they recreate the look of those classic characters from the pen and ink panels of Mr. A, though many of the supporting players get into a bit of a design rut, resembling potatoes with “pipe cleaner” thin arms and legs. And the faces are small features surrounded by a fleshy circular ‘noggin. Luckily the fam’ is more interesting. Gomez’s rotund, “striped beach ball” torso works well with his round Peter Lorre caricatured head (great dark sunken eyes). I missed the ever-present cigar that John Astin twirled ala’ Groucho, but I guess that was nixed to get the PG rating. Those same eyes and torso (they’re brothers after all) work well with Fester, paired with his droopy banana nose. Morticia, on the other hand, is comprised of “hard angles” with cheekbones and a chin so sharp they could “thin slice” deli meats. And rather than shoes we see the spider-like hem of her skirt as she glides across the floor (not teeny tiny steps, but hovering). Not sure if the high forward of Wednesday works, but the twin egg-like eyes of Pugsley that look as though they may fall out of his head are quite expressive. The brow and heavy-lidded eyes are a nice nod to the classic Frankenstein monster for Lurch, whose bulk appears to be a black mountain looming and blending into the house’s shadowy corners. And his mouth “quiver” as he delivers the classic “Yoooou rang?” is superb. Ditto to the massive blond bouffant of Margaux, balanced by her plump hips that almost burst out of her blue jumpsuits. Her daughter Parker has a much different look with a button nose and huge expressive eyes making me think of the talented young actress Joey (WISH UPON) King.

If only the same amount of thought and planning of the look of the cast had gone into the uneven script. Yes, there’s much of the same subversive spirit that Paul Rudnick gave to those 90’s features, but the screenplay (credited to three writers) seems to run out of “juice” after the one hour mark, falling prey to the usual funny flick third act “lull”. It abounds with so many great visual gags (Thing’s internet interests) and one-liners (Kroll’s timing kills), but the story has the feel of three sitcom episodes “stitched” together, bouncing haphazardly from plot “A” to “B” to “C” and back again. And these stories mainly focus on the Addams kids, making Morticia and Gomez into secondary support players. And with that PG rating, much of their smoldering sexy banter has been neutered (in the tame 60s sitcom-world, these two generated real “heat”). Only one bit of Gomez driven wild over Morticia tossing out a phrase in French…C’mon?! Still, a few sequences are full of inspired satire, particularly the “Up with People”-style anthem sung by the cheerful Assimilation quintet and Wednesday’s take on biology class (a 70’s sci-fi movie classic reference). But these are shuffled aside to make way for the convoluted plottings of Margaux, who often seems to be at cross purposes. It’s a muddled mess, but the wee ones should be amused by the creepy but not too scary elements (the pet lion Kitty Kat looks like a massive stuffed doll). Even though they’ve seemingly been with us forever, this kooky clan’s non-conformist ways still feel fresh and needed today. Thankfully, despite the script bumps, these folks (cue the big guy on the harpsichord) are still “altogether ‘ooky’, THE ADDAMS FAMILY”. “Snap, snap!”

3 Out of 4 Stars