The magic only comes in occasional flashes, with the rest of the time filled by forced silliness that is not united by anything more than talk of smiles and puppies and rainbows
Comment
12/07/07
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)
37
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:120
Fresh:44
Rotten:76
Average Rating:4.9/10
Consensus: Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium's title is much more fun that the film itself, as the colorful visuals and talented players can't make up for a bland story.
Runtime: 1 hr 34 mins
Genre: Childrens
US Box Office: $31,920,538
Synopsis: In writer-director Zach Helm's whimsical 2007 film, MR. MAGORIUM'S WONDER EMPORIUM, veteran actor Dustin Hoffman plays the title character, a 243-year-old toy-store owner who is ready to pass his... [More]
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman, Jason Bateman, Zach Mills
Director: Zach Helm
Reviews for Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
Top CriticWake me when the wackiness is over.
11/16/07
In its favour, there's nothing here to upset the children. (Not, that is, unless they're allergic to Hoffman's hammy, Method-derived acting.)
12/14/07
There isn't anything terribly exciting or original on offer... but there's nothing offensive either.
11/16/07
A fluffy cotton candy confection that can't be bothered to manufacture any legitimate dramatic tension.
11/15/07
The result, for all its swirly colors and surrealism, is alternately dull and irritating, an experience akin to learning that you're going on a field trip only to discover that it's to the box factory.
03/06/08
Too dark for kids, too daffy for grown-ups. There’s the odd glimmer of charm, but beneath the fluttering FX and existential fluster, Helm has buried the most important toy in the box: a good story.
12/13/07
Mr Magorium’s Terrible Tedium.
12/14/07
Things go badly wrong when eccentric Mr Magorium announces he has had enough of his 243 years on earth and has decided to pop his clogs.
12/14/07
As gentle and sweet as it may be, this movie's a treat, but not a treasure.
11/16/07
The trailers make the movie look like the ickiest kind of whimsy, accompanied by obstreperous special effects, but the film itself is gasp-worthy.
05/01/08
Like something imagined by Turgenev during what would have been even for him one of his more bleak interludes.
11/14/07
Like the store, the movie is chockablock with playthings -- puns, graphics, and music -- that make the life lessons easier to absorb.
11/16/07
... never quite as magical as it wants to be.
12/21/07
This children's tale of magical whimsy miraculously avoids even toying with violence - while confronting the finality of death head-on.
12/06/07
A film about joy and wonder shouldn't have to work so hard to try and achieve those traits; it kind of defeats the purpose.
11/17/07
Dustin Hoffman charms in [this] colorful fairy tale, but despite plenty of magical moments, it's missing the extra sparkle that could make it a classic.
11/16/07
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium is a lighthearted and less noxious Night at the Museum.
11/16/07
Wonder is the key, and it's lacking in a major way. Should you decide to see it anyway, you might wonder what you're doing there.
11/15/07
Children will find the feature enchanting, while adults may not be so easily impressed.
11/16/07
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