Grade: C+ | Genre: Family Adventure Summary: Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events is just that...unfortunate, because it doesn't quite live up to the original story written by Daniel Handler. The film works because of Jim Carrey, but you still find yourself impatiently squirming as you wait for it to end. Jim Carrey is the reigning King of funny with the surprising ability to step out of the box he's created for himself and take on roles that more serious actors would gush over. The Truman Show gave us a more subdued Carrey though you could see Ace Ventura doing his best to break free. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind saw him evolve from the Robin Williams School of nut jobs to a seasoned actor comfortable in his own skin. In Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, Jim Carrey continues to build on his range of characters of which he has yet to play. Yes, the funny guy is still there, but at the same time, there's a sinister tone in his Count Olaf that forces you to see him in yet another new light.

The Baudelaire Children, whose story is narrated by Lemony Snicket himself (Jude Law behind the shadows), are an interesting 3 piece that live a life of privilege and are kids that know how to take advantage of their gifts. The oldest, Violet (Browning), is the world's most renowned 14 year old inventor. Her younger brother, Klaus (Aiken), devours knowledge found in books and is able to retain all that the reads. The youngest sibling, Sunny (Hoffman), is a baby girl who speaks in subtitles and bites anything placed or not placed in front of her. All will find that these unusual talents will come in handy during a series of unfortunate events that are about to ensue.

After a group outing one day, the children return home to find themselves suddenly orphaned by a mysterious fire that has taken away their home and their mother and father. The three, with the help of a social worker, must now find a suitable home in which to move on and continue their young lives.

Enter the "Unbelievably Handsome" Count Olaf, or so he narcissistically forces his minions to refer to him as. He is a maniacally evil old man desperate for attention with an insatiable appetite for greed. If you squint your eyes, you can almost see Satan welcoming the children into his hell. Olaf vows to take care of the children as "if they were wanted." You immediately know that his intentions aren't to show the siblings a loving home, but to get his hands on the inheritance they are to receive. The Baudelaire three are put to work as Olaf's cleaning and cooking staff and after a foiled murder attempt by Olaf, the three are shipped off to a new relative more suitable to care for their needs.

Uncle Monty (Connolly) is an adventurer and an avid collector of rare creatures. He takes the children in but inevitably finds his life in the hands of the determined Olaf in a disguise obvious to the Baudelaire's. Monty's screen time is inevitably cut short and again, the children are sent to a new relative.

Aunt Josephine (Streep) is a neurotic old woman afraid of the air with which she breathes. She doesn't cook hot meals for fear of the stove exploding and won't stand in front of the refrigerator because it may fall and "flattened" her. Of course, Count Olaf (again in disguise) finds his way to the children, and Aunt Josephine suffers the same fate as Uncle Monty.

Now, with the number of relatives diminishing, the Baudelaire children must fend off Count Olaf on their own. What's interesting is that the series of unfortunate events that have plagued them for so long inevitably become the first steps of a journey to freedom. You'll just have to watch the movie and find out what happens.

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events Starring: Jim Carrey, Emily Browning, Liam Aiken, Kara Hoffman, Shelby Hoffman, Timothy Spall, Billy Connolly, Meryl Streep, and Jude Law Director: Brad Silberling Check it out You may also like... Finding Neverland Edward Scissorhands Big Fish

Jim Carrey is perfect as the terrible Count Olaf. No one else could have done it better and Carrey is able to deliver a repulsive character that you can't wait to come back into frame. His wit is purposely dry, and the humor is not so in-your-face as some of his previous films.

However, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events is just that...unfortunate, because it doesn't quite live up to the original story written by Daniel Handler. The film works because of Jim Carrey, but you still find yourself impatiently squirming as you wait for it to end. You wonder why Lemony is always shown in the shadows, especially when everyone knows it's Jude Law, a face no woman wants to be hidden. Is he too disappointed to show himself? Was this a warning we should have caught on to? Lemony does dazzle, but in the end goes limp. It's definitely watchable, but if you are able, you may want to have a night out and catch a current film now in theatres.