The Addams Family

Very nice, but I liked the sequel a tiny bit more. Little Ricci is brilliant. (19/05/2010)

I've never watched the original series from the 1960s and 70s, so for me the story of the Addams Family begins with this movie. I've always liked black and morbid humor, so I enjoyed the solid load of (more or less) "twisted" scenes that The Addams Family abounds with. The great success of the film also lies in the casting, where all the actors involved were perfectly suited to their roles, and I would single out in particular the little Christina Ricci, the gorgeous Anjelica Huston and the goofy Christopher Lloyd. Last but not least, I have to praise the beautiful production and costume design. (06/09/2022)

This is a really weird family that I wouldn't want as neighbours. Raul Julia in a role of a lifetime, Anjelica Huston perfect as always, Christopher Lloyd endearingly shy and stiff, and the severed hand clearly the best character a director could ask for in a supporting role. Barry Sonnenfeld added a nice morbid touch, but there was nothing he could do wrong here. 80% (27/11/2012)

I can really dig this. For an American family comedy, there are a lot of good jokes, most of them as black as Anjelica Huston's hair. Christina Ricci's best role ("are those cookies made from real Girl Scouts?"). Some of the scenes are just gems (the party, the children's pageant, The Thing, the Nicknack security guard or whatever). And throughout, one is never once overwhelmed by the sense of awkwardness that is so prevalent in contemporary comedies. Barry Sonnenfeld succeeds as a debutant. The direction is brisk and clever. If I wanted to piss anyone off, I'd say this film has nothing to be ashamed of next to Burton's masterpieces. (11/05/2008)

The Addams Family shows the better side of the American studio system, i.e., the ability to gather and utilize a sufficiently large budget to create an alternative fairy tale world filled with bizarre props, fantastic sets, and audience-pleasing gimmicks. At the same time, also the ability to attract notable actors and make a film without compromises - by that, I mean compromises that would arise from limited technical resources. Unlike many others, this film has not noticeably aged, even though it is evident that the producer aimed at a family audience, so it simply isn't as provocative, sarcastic, and darkly humorous as it could have been if it didn't take into account the child audience. But that is naturally my problem, as I am no longer a child or a teenager. From my perspective, it's definitely not a perfect 4-star movie but this time I will round up in a positive direction because children's eyes would definitely see it differently. Overall impression: 70%. (07/09/2014)