Director: Carlos Saldanha
Writers: David Guion, Michael Handelman
Stars: Zachary Levi, Lil Rel Howery, Jemaine Clement
Synopsis: Inside of his book, adventurous Harold can make anything come to life simply by drawing it. After he grows up and draws himself off the book’s pages and into the physical world, Harold finds he has a lot to learn about real life.
The adaptation of Harold and the Purple Crayon has finally made its way to a cinema near you. Adapting a beloved children’s book always comes with high expectations, especially in a genre that often struggles to think outside the box. Creating a movie for children, let alone one that appeals to the entire family, is a challenging task.
Typically, films in this genre play it safe, incorporating some bathroom humor for good measure. They often rely on bright, flashy special effects and G-rated antics, with just enough of a story to engage the adults. So, when it was announced that Sony was developing a live-action adaptation of Harold and the Purple Crayon, I hoped it might break free from the standard studio formula.
Unfortunately, the film leans too heavily on the simplicity of the children’s classic and misses the original work’s creativity. Instead, we’re bombarded with endless filler scenes featuring prominent product placements—think Coca-Cola, Chick-fil-A, Sabrett Hot Dogs, and more.
However, while I highly recommend washing down a great chicken sandwich and beefy hot dog with some great American company’s cola goodness (feel free to reach out to InSession Film so we can fulfill any Fortune 500 companies’ product placement needs), the overzealousness detracts from an already bland and predictable experience.
The story is intended not as a direct adaptation but as a sequel to the book series. Zachary Levi plays the titular character, Harold, who draws himself out of the pages and into the real world in search of “the old man,” his creator and father. Accompanied by his friends Moose (Lil Rel Howery) and Porcupine (Tanya Reynolds), Harold meets Terri (Zooey Deschanel) and her young son, Mel (Benjamin Bottani). Their relationship is hard to fathom and never feels earned throughout the film.
Directed by Carlos Saldanha, known for the successful animated Ice Age and Rio franchises, and scripted by David Guion and Michael Handelman (the team behind Slumberland, Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, and Dinner for Schmucks), the film struggles with creativity. The script spends too much time avoiding meaningful connections between the live-action characters and the real world.
The big moment the movie builds towards, where Levi’s character is eager to meet “the old man,” feels more like an infomercial for Crockett Johnson’s classic children’s series. Every interaction remains as thin and two-dimensional as the characters themselves. While Levi channels his “adorkable” persona and a youthful Tom Hanks charm effectively, the role doesn’t allow him to connect with the heart of the matter that comes with knowing who you are and what you want to be.
That’s where Harold and the Purple Crayon misses the mark. The opportunity to explore themes of growth, learning, and identity is nowhere to be found. Family entertainment should thrive on these themes, addressing real existential issues and the consequences of actions. Unlike films like Elf, Enchanted, and even Bruce Almighty, which combine comedy and heart to teach thoughtful lessons, This adaptation fails to use Harold’s magic crayon to impart lessons about individuality, reality, or social norms.
Moreover, the “real world” characters teach counterproductive lessons to children, such as using cell phones while driving and picking up hitchhikers without concern. Even though it’s a children’s movie, responsibility in storytelling is crucial, especially when the adaptation strays from the essence of the source material. For instance, should we allow two strange men to live in our home with the young child you just met who is acting as if they need help from a mental health professional?
The script even fails to make a flimsy excuse for allowing such an action, like almost hitting them with their car, which would be comedically plausible. It’s unfortunate, as Harold and the Purple Crayon had the potential to be a film about limitless possibilities. Some of the special effects can be fun but don’t seem to add a purpose other than to catch the eye. They are hollow. They lack engagement.
To strengthen my point, at the screening I attended, you tend to pay attention to when children laugh and are engaged. However, most of the young audience members were talking and playing in the row or on the stairs because the movie was tepid and lacked real humor, heart, and engagement.
Harold and the Purple Crayon is nothing more than buying a piece of intellectual property as if you are buying a brand-name label and putting it on a cheap imitation.
