The critics have made a lot about how one of the major flaws of "The Nut Job" is that it has an unlikeable main character. Any movie with an unlikeable central character is committing suicide.
Who is probably the most unlikeable central character of all time? Ebenezer Scrooge is certainly in the running. Would you say that any dramatization of "A Christmas Carol" is doomed to failure?
This is a slightly unfair comparison because Charles Dickens spelled out how to do it right, and "The Nut Job" never really explains why Surly Squirrel suddenly decides to switch from being obnoxiously self-centered to a secret philanthropist of the other animals who just pretends to be obnoxiously self-centered. But all of the critics' putdown of Surly for being so obviously hissable have ignored Ebenezer Scrooge. "A Christmas Carol" should have proved that it can be done.
Yeah, I could have done without the more obvious fart joke, too.
The critics have made a lot about how one of the major flaws of "The Nut Job" is that it has an unlikeable main character. Any movie with an unlikeable central character is committing suicide.
Who is probably the most unlikeable central character of all time? Ebenezer Scrooge is certainly in the running. Would you say that any dramatization of "A Christmas Carol" is doomed to failure?
This is a slightly unfair comparison because Charles Dickens spelled out how to do it right, and "The Nut Job" never really explains why Surly Squirrel suddenly decides to switch from being obnoxiously self-centered to a secret philanthropist of the other animals who just pretends to be obnoxiously self-centered. But all of the critics' putdown of Surly for being so obviously hissable have ignored Ebenezer Scrooge. "A Christmas Carol" should have proved that it can be done.
Yeah, I could have done without the more obvious fart joke, too.
Fred Patten