The Addams Family (1991)

This is a glorious exception to Hollywood's plundering of classic TV series, thanks to Sonnenfeld sticking with the black humour and inspired casting including note-perfect Huston and Julia plus Lloyd as Fester.

The critic finds the film ridiculous but fun as a string of ghoulish gags and one-liners in a spooky setting, rather than a substantial story. Anjelica Huston's Morticia is singled out as magnificent and perfectly cast, alongside strong turns from Christopher Lloyd and Christina Ricci.

The everyday story of ghoulish folk from Charles Addams' New Yorker cartoons is stylishly converted into a big screen comedy. It stars Anjelica Huston, Christina Ricci, Christopher Lloyd and Raul Julia.

The critic praises the film as a lavish and funny revival that captures the cartoons' dry, wicked tone through ingenious casting, droll production design, spirited direction, and camera tricks. She complains that the slender plot consists mostly of isolated humorous moments strung together without much narrative substance.

For a one-joke movie this adaptation still summons up enough laughs. The chief pleasure is in the casting, with Huston born to play Morticia, Julia as her devoted husband and Lloyd excellent as Fester.

The critic finds the film mildly entertaining but ultimately flat, with isolated funny moments that fail to build into sustained comedy. He praises the cast chemistry, especially Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston, and the visual fidelity to the original cartoons.

The critic acknowledges the film's visual splendor and correct period details but finds it lacking in dramatic interest or sustained amusement beyond a series of elaborate set pieces. The modest plot and arch dialogue ultimately fail to hold attention despite strong performances from the leads.

The short review calls the film misguided graveyard slapstick that fails to capture the subversive edge of Charles Addams’ cartoons. It singles out Christina Ricci’s Wednesday and Anjelica Huston’s Morticia for rising above the predictable, sitcom-like script.

The review calls the film a major disappointment despite inspired casting and nifty visuals, as the first-time director fails to move beyond a skeletal plot of sitcom one-liners and visual gags. It notes that the script does not fully realize the potential of the source cartoons or TV series.

The 1991 film is celebrated as a high-water mark for the franchise, with Sonnenfeld's direction capturing the family's cartoonish yet warm tone effectively despite some narrative weaknesses. The cast, especially Raúl Juliá and Anjelica Huston as Gomez and Morticia, is singled out for their passionate, unselfconscious commitment to the material.