A series of unfortunate events (the series) – A review

After an unfortunate event Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire find themselves orphaned and in the care of the sinister and vile Count Olaf whose only goal is to get his grubby hands on the Baudelaire fortune.

It’s up to Sunny’s biting skills, Klaus’s reading and Violet’s inventions to escape the clutches of Count Olaf time and time again as they try to solve the mystery their parents left behind for them to discover.

The 2004 version of Lemony Snicket: as series of unfortunate events was a nice treat for any of the weary movie buffs like me. Obviously produced as a competitor to the highly lucrative Harry Potter franchise it took the daring step to tell a dark and, actually playfully, dreadful children’s’ story. This wasn’t some teenaged nickelodeon movie in which the main lesson to be learned was that you need the right boyfriend for junior prom. No; this was a dark tale of three siblings fighting for their lives in a world run by adults who, each and every one of them, failed to see that being an adult doesn’t automatically bring wisdom.
 

Now in the words of the author of the books (Daniel Handler). The initial production of this movie didn’t go without a hitch. There were troubles all over. So, in a later interview, he stated quite correctly that he was pleased that the movie didn’t turn out as bad as he expected it to be. And he’s right! Even though the original A series of unfortunate events-adaptation failed at the box-office (a daring move doesn’t automatically mean that the average audience warms up to it), it did gain quite a cult following in the years since.
 

This had everything to do with the perfect casting of every single acting part. The children were perfect, the family members were perfect (I adore Meryl Streep in this one); but above all the biggest respect has to go to Jim Carrey who played his version of Count Olaf in a deliciously villainous manner.

I would even argue that, comparing this movie to, let’s say, the Harry Potter adaptations, that the script of A series of unfortunate events is actually one of the better book-to-screen adaptation. Using the three first books as the source material this movie goes through the action on such a comfortable pace that there isn’t enough momentum to get too emotionally attached to the terrible things that happen to the Baudelaire orphans and their kinsmen.

The screenplay

So why this lengthy introduction about the first adaptation? Because this time something fundamentally different happened. The author himself (again Daniel Handler) wrote the screenplay. Now he was involved in the original adaptation, but –as I said- there were numerous problems along the way. Here he actually get to do it his own way and it brings a richer, yet similar, version of the stories.

To start with the most obvious one. The Lemony Snicket-books are filled with wordplay. And the television version is equally bursting at the seams. This was mostly lacking in the first version (but not missed). Here however it works to highlight the absurdity of the situation (even if said situation is dripping in blood).

There is, however, a drawback to note as well. Filling up a two hour movie is a simple enough task. However, filling up eight forty minute episodes is a bit more problematic. The episode: The reptile room –part two, for instance, does have a tendency to meander a bit by over explaining stuff the audience doesn’t need to know. But since a television-show is more than mere screenplay these moments of ‘plot stalling’ are easily filled up by sets and acting.

One nitpick: I loathe coincidental coincidences. So the whole overflying airplane helping out the children to create a fire in episode six. No, not for me.

Acting

Neil Patrick Harris had big shoes to fill after Jim Carrey’s turn. But he does so marvelously. He constantly shifts between being a theatrical nincompoop and a knife-wielding madman.
While in other characters (or shows) this might unbalance the whole a bit – here it feels fitting. It’s the absurdity of this fictional world that creates the legroom for this character to maneuver in.

Having said that I do have to mention that his Count Olaf make-up doesn’t really work for me. In comparison with Jim Carrey’s (flexible face) turn Neil Patrick Harris’s Olaf still looks like a man in make-up. Fortunately the elaborate dress-ups this Olaf character gets up to in later episodes work far better.

The children then are pretty much at the same level as the previous version. I would say that this Klaus is a bit better than the 2004 version. And that Emily Browning was a bit better Violet than the current actress. But this is hardly noteworthy. Above all they are sweet, smart and relatable. Which is exactly what you need in protagonists.

Though I do think that the Violet-character would benefit from being a bit more protective in the next season. In the movie it was the collapsing of Aunt Josephine’s house (and the exploding doorknob) that made the Violet character stronger. Here, however, that scene was (somewhat) given to the Klaus character.

Also, I hated to lose those 'magical' predictions coming true as in the 2004-version.

Matty Cardarople, for one, is fun as the

’Henchperson of Indeterminate Gender’

though he plays pretty much the same character

as he did in Jurassic World. 

Now there’s a possibility: the Baudelaires

versus Raptors…

I do love, though, that this show didn't bother with trying to coach the toddler (Sunny). Babies can't act - so why try it? Besides, seeing the child make all these silly non-contextual baby-faces works for the absurdity of the show.
 

Now there are some characters who do take a bit of getting used to if you’ve seen the first movie. Billy Connolly, to me, was brilliant as Dr. Montgomery Montgomery. So it’s a bit difficult to see another actor take on this part. Nonetheless both actors played the character exactly right: caring, brave and hopelessly naïve.
 

K. Todd Freeman’s Poe, then, is a bit of a mixed bag for me when I compare him to Timothy Spall in the first movie. In the 2004 version Mr. Poe was the ultimate pencil pusher. This was because he wasn’t on screen enough to be investable. Freeman’s version, however, does have a lot of screen time. And, at times, he becomes a bit overacting due to it all. There’s only so much naivety one can muster. I would say that some scenes in The reptile room –part two, is a showcasing of overacting. Whereas in other scenes he plays the character just right.

His wife, though, is absolutely hilarious in her egocentricity. At times I didn’t know whether I wanted to laugh or slap her in the face. 

And, then, there’s the last big change: In the original movie Lemony Snicket was played by a (heavily backlit) shadow of Jude Law’s soothing voice. Here Lemony Snicket is front and center as played by Patrick Warburton. It’s a new approach that I liked. This Mr. Snicket is our stone-faced guide through the perilous story of the Baudelaire orphans (wearing a bathing suit when needed) who adds a nice little explanation here and there.

Design

This strange twenties-setting the A series of unfortunate events take place in is the main reason why I love the first movie. This is a world of steam trains, electronic contraptions and (probably) computers that nobody knows how to operate. In short: books are still on paper.

The miserable mill, for instance, is a feast for the eyes. Every bit of the scenery is as depressing as it can get and - one of the fun parts of this set design - every machine you see has a purpose.
 

Including two -my technical eye immediately spotted those – high risk chains.

And together with the witty script, the silly acting and the mystery; the setting is the final ingredient in this deliciously poisonous cocktail.

Conclusion

The biggest reason to watch Netflix’s A series of Unfortunate events has to be the absurd dark humor and the set design. There is some mystery to it all (just enough mystery to set up the next season) but that shouldn’t be the biggest draw.
 

All the actors are highly invested to bring the best portrayals of the character to the screen – and they all succeed (except baby Sunny –this is a joke).
  

If there is one main critique it has to be that the source material is a bit too stretched at times. Which is sometimes a good thing because it allows characters to have silly fun. However if (in the case of Mr. Poe overreacting) if it doesn't work for you you'll occasionally find yourself staring at your watch.
 

I loved the finale song. Every disastrous unhappy tale should end with an inequitable depressing lyric set to an upbeat tune.

Next season promises us no more dillydallying between caretakers and probably the answer to a mystery or two. But then again in A series of unfortunate events it’s the misery we are looking for, not the mystery.