Another Take: Hugo (2011)

By Paco McCullough

If there is a hell, a double feature of Hugo and Toy Story 3 will be there waiting for me. See, as a grown man, there is nothing I hate more than shedding tears over fictional characters on a screen, and only the aforementioned two have made me choke up as an adult. Hugo is a masterwork, incredibly poignant and compelling (especially for a kid's movie), perfectly acted, and Martin Scorsese's direction proving that 3D can be used as an incredible storytelling device. It's easily his best film since The Departed.

The story, about a lonely young orphan who's trying to fix the only thing he has left from his father, leads to a surprisingly complex relationship with one of the fathers of cinema. The script was powerful, and quite dark for a kid's movie. John Logan, currently writing Darren Aronofsky's next film, is to be commended for this script.

Giving one of the best performances of the year, while still only a child, Asa Butterfield blew me away. He truly embodies this tragic figure with a heart of gold. I generally get so pissed off by child actors that I secretly hope for their character's grisly demise, but I rooted for Hugo Cabret every step of the way. I'm not entirely sure (I'll have to rewatch), but I think that he may have kicked Sir Ben Kingsley's ass in an acting contest, even though Kingsley was great as always.

This film is obviously Scorsese's love letter to cinema. The film revolves around one of the forefathers of movies, but Scorsese slips in tons of little nods for the film buffs in the audience. A Trip To The Moon is heavily referenced, but there's nods to Douglas Fairbanks, Buster Keaton, D.W. Griffith, and more. Some of the clips shown stumped me, and I'm attempting to know about movies for a living. One of my favorite nods to film history in this film is a long inclusion of Harold Lloyd's masterful slapstick piece, Safety Last. It was heartening to hear people laugh at one of the classics.

I don't want to give too much away about the film, so there's less to be ruined when you go to see it, which you should do as soon as you can. Hugo blew me away in away that few films ever have. It's perfect for the kid in everyone.

5 out of 5 stars


For Jason's take on Hugo, click here.