In the tradition of all great children's films, Brad Silberling's adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Events offers a dark, scary vision of adolescense. No sooner do we meet Violet (Emily Browning), Klaus (Liam Aiken) and Sunny Baudelaire, then they are orphaned and packed off to their distant cousin, Count Olaf (Jim Carrey in a rubbery, OTT performance). It soon becomes apparent that Olaf wants nothing more than to get rid of the children and claim the family fortune. Pursued by Count Olaf in a variety of guises, the Baudelaires stay with their herpetologist Uncle Montgomery (Billy Connolly) and then with their paranoid Aunt Josephine (Meryl Streep).
Adapted from the first two Lemony Snicket novels, Silberling's film feels very episodic, and those who find Jim Carrey irritating will find nothing here to win them over. However, the imaginative set design and some excellent performances from Browning and Aiken really make this stand out. Both of these elements, plus a brilliantly macabre sense of whimsy, combine to give the film a real emotional weight that is lacking from the majority of children's movies.
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