“HUGO”Based upon the novel The Invention Of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
Screenplay Written by John Logan
Directed by Martin Scorsese
**** (four stars)
The title of this new review should not simply be taken as an invitation from me, your humble, friendly neighborhood film enthusiast. This is an invitation from none other than Martin Scorsese and frankly dear readers, when Mr. Scorsese offers you an invitation, it is imperative that we take him up upon his offer.
Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo” is not only one of 2011’s highest cinematic achievements, it is also one of Scorsese’s highest achievements as a cinematic storyteller. It is the best film he has made since “The Departed” (2007) certainly, but I think I am going to have to go one better. For me, “Hugo” is the best film Martin Scorsese has made since his explosively brilliant and iconic gangster epic, “Goodfellas” (1990). Based upon that film and essentially the entirety of his oeuvre, Scorsese is probably one of the most unlikely filmmakers one could think of to direct a PG rated, family friendly motion picture. But by the time “Hugo” reached its completion, it was obvious that Martin Scorsese is quite possibly the ONLY filmmaker to make this film. Yes, I could easily see someone like Steven Spielberg taking the reins of this particular story but “Hugo” feels like the film Martin Scorsese was destined to create.
I will leave any plot description to an absolute minimum. I have not read the book from which this film is based and I suppose I wanted to enter into this experience as coldly as possible. Supposing that many of you are in the same position as myself, I will try my best to do the very same for you. Set during the early 1930’s, “Hugo” stars Asa Butterfield in the titular role, an orphaned and abandoned who lives within the walls of a Parisian train station. As he hides away from the public, Hugo secretly operates and maintains all of the train station’s clocks, steers clear of the imposing, leg-brace wearing Station Inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen) and pilfers food from the station’s food shops as well as mechanical supplies for a secret project. One day, Hugo is caught by Georges (Ben Kingsley), the mercurial proprietor of the train station’s toyshop. In retribution, Georges takes Hugo’s treasured notebook, inside of which contains fantastic illustrations that cause him distress. In his pursuit to retrieve his notebook, Hugo is soon befriended by Georges’ goddaughter Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz) and the twosome begin a life altering adventure that will also greatly impact the lives of the adults around them, including Georges himself.
“Hugo” is a completely enchanting, engaging, sumptuous experience that shows Scorsese working at the very top of his game, alongside his rock steady team of collaborators, which include Cinematographer Robert Richardson, Editor Thelma Schoonmaker, Composer Howard Shore and Production Designer Dante Ferretti. To utilize musical terminology, watching “Hugo” is akin to hearing one of the world’s greatest bands, all at advanced age, still vibrant, hungry and creating one of their very best works. “Hugo” is nothing short of a masterpiece.
While the film may not seem to share terribly much with Scorsese’s past work on the surface, I did happen to notice some very cleverly placed Scorsese-ian trademarks which always let you know who is operating behind the scenes. “Hugo” opens with a stunning long take during which the camera fluidly glides from the heights of Paris, through the entirety of the train station and deep into a clock, where Hugo resides. I could not help but to think of the classic long take in “Goodfellas,” during which Scorsese, utilizing the same fluidly gliding camera work, takes us through the New York streets and into the Copacabana nightclub where we are introduced to the collective members of the gangster underworld as Ray Liotta attempts to impress his date, Lorraine Bracco. But I want to truly impress upon you that “Hugo” is not an experience designed to be all flash and without substance. Scorsese creates a deeply emotionally satisfying work that enraptures.
Scorsese also superbly avoids all of the trappings and clichés of the family film genre by actually having the audacity to believe that families, and especially children, are intelligent and important enough to be given a work at its very best. Family films do not have to exist as hyperkinetic, day-glo, audio assaulting, distressingly flatulent, shamelessly low brow pieces of unemotional and impersonal product meant to be devoured and forgotten. Scorsese has created a work that is supremely sophisticated and emotionally complex. But, “Hugo” is also child friendly enough that it exists with an appropriately simple plot, boldly gorgeous colors and visuals, child heroes and heroines to truly root for and empathize with and (again) and emotional palate that contains an open honesty and tremendous affection for wish fulfillments and the stuff dreams are made of. “Hugo” aims for the stars and reaches them all.
Asa Butterfield is absolutely perfect as Hugo Cabret. He appears to be a Dickensian hero with shaggy dark hair, underfed physique and piercing blue eyes to reach directly into your heart without ever feeling forced. Chloe Grace Moretz is a wonderful young actress that I feel has been undone by her appearances is pseudo-edgy material like Director Matthew Vaughan’s odious “Kick-Ass” (2010) and I was thrilled to see her in a film with a filmmaker who will utilize her talents wisely. As with all of her previous roles, Moretz reminds me greatly of a young Jodie Foster through the no-nonsense strength of her screen presence. Yet, for “Hugo,” Scorsese is able to draw out Moretz’s more tender, dreamy qualities which are no less tenacious than any of her other roles. In a world where the likes of Bella Swan qualify as a heroine for younger girls to look up to, the character of Isabelle-smart, charming, steadfast and extremely literate (I always loved how she would drop in new vocabulary words she learned while living as a voracious reader in the train station)-is a blessing.
As the Station Inspector, Sacha Baron Cohen utilizes his immense talents in full service of a character that is not of his creation absolutely perfectly. I appreciated how he never tried to upstage anyone or anything else in the film for his own benefits. Cohen is a crucial piece in this puzzle and his ability as a team player should be commended. Ben Kingsley is the true soul of the film and without saying any more, for fear of producing spoilers, he injects into the character of Georges what I felt to be a kindred spirit to Scorsese himself, with profound gravity, pathos, vision and enormous compassion. He never, for even one moment, strikes a false note.
As you all know so very well about me, I am and remain anti-3D, as I feel it is nothing more than a money making gimmick that is not crucial to the art of cinematic storytelling. All of that being said, and even though I saw “Hugo” in 2D, I feel that “Hugo” would be the major exception to the norm. Martin Scorsese shot “Hugo” in 3D, unlike most releases that were filmed in 2D and then reconfigured for 3D. While I have not been a fan of James Cameron’s “Avatar” (2009), I am wondering if I would have to extend a large amount of gratitude for “Avatar” as the mammoth success of that film single handedly brought the 3D resurgence into action. Perhaps, the success of “Avatar” even inspired Scorsese to make this film in the first place. But for my money, I think that “Hugo” bests “Avatar” in every possible way from conception to execution. And truth be told…I just may be persuaded to see this film again…but in 3D. I am not making any promises but if one were to see a 3D movie, it was obvious to me that “Hugo” is the one to see.
As with all of his films, Scorsese knows to the deepest levels of his cinematic soul that all of the techniques and special effects in the world will not mean a thing without a story and furthermore, that all of the filmmaking tools are there to operate at the service of that story. I loved how the visual flights of fancy depicting gears, heart shaped keys, and all manner of cogs in the wheels of clocks and machinery worked as a gorgeous allegory to the emotional states of all of the film’s characters. Hugo, Isabelle, Georges, the Station Inspector and others are all, in one way or another, in a state of repair and need fixing in order to fully realize their potential in the world. And even deeper, Scorsese illustrates how that very stagnant and ultimately realized potential speaks to the machinery of the human condition. How one person’s possibilities can affect another’s and how we all congeal together in a community and as a species. We are all keys for each other with the potential to unlock wondrous gifts, releasing them into the world and into our hearts and souls.
“Hugo” is also a film that explores our relationship to art, literature, movies, love, inspiration and dreams and their transformative and transportive abilities to create spellbinding power. “Hugo” is cut from the same cloth as varied as Giuseppe Tornatore’s “Cinema Paradiso” (1988) or even J.J. Abrams’ “Super 8” as its love for the magic of the movies is near devotional. It is more than perfect that Martin Scorsese made this film. Now that he is nearly 70 years old and long acknowledged as a legend, it is beautiful to see this man not taking any creative moment for granted. “Hugo” contains the wisdom and experience of an older man working in tandem with an unquestionable and brightly lit childlike spirit of invention, inspiration and imagination and innocence. "Hugo" illustrates why we all even go to the movies and moreso, why Martin Scorsese creates them in the first place.
As I have taken a peek as the Thanksgiving holiday box office reports, I have seen that “Hugo” is not setting the box office on fire. In fact, the audience I saw it with was very scant indeed. This worries me because I would just hate for something this extraordinary to be ignored, especially as it is a film designed to be embraced and hoisted up highly over our collective shoulders. Martin Scorsese has created a fantasy epic that is indeed fun for the entire family. It is remarkably clean, pure of heart and spirit while eliciting endless creativity. I know that you want to see the big blockbuster films and believe me dear readers, I do too! But I urge you to go, as soon as you are able, and experience “Hugo” as it deserves all of the attention and affection it will hopefully receive.
“Hugo” is Martin Scorsese’s gift to all of us and all we have to do is open it.
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