Inkheart, based on the young-adult fantasy series by Cornelia Funke, begins with Meggie Folchart traveling with her father Mortimer. Mo is a bookbinder and travels far and wide repairing books in small villages and seemingly out of the way places. While wandering around waiting for her father in one of these places, Meggie is approached by a man who goes by the name Dustfinger, who also confronts Mo over some long-standing conflict. This rather mundane start only serves as a launching point for a rather interesting tale. Turns out Mo is what is known as a Silvertongue, someone who can bring to life characters and objects from books when they read aloud. Unfortunately, this gift carries a price as anytime someone comes out of a book, something must go in. Mo discovered his gift when Meggie was a very young child. While ready to her one night from the book Inkheart, he freed Dustfinger, the villainous Capricorn and Capricorn’s henchman Basta. The trade-off is that Meggie’s mother Resa was pulled into the book. Mo also lost his copy of Inkheart that night and since then, in his job as bookbinder, has searched for another copy of the book. Capricorn has also been searching for copies of the book and has been destroying them as he finds them. Capricorn likes living in the real world and enjoys the little empire he’s been building. Things get a little surreal from there as familiar literary items become real, characters literally meet their maker, plots are altered and, I don’t think I’m really spoiling anything here, happy endings ensue.
One of the things I found interesting about this film is that while it seems to be billed and promoted as a Brendan Fraser vehicle, it’s almost as if he’s a secondary character. That’s not to say he phones it in, he does a fine job as usual. I think it’s more that there isn’t the usual level of humor that is attached to a Brendan Fraser film and the director, Iain Softley, seems to take care to give all the characters a sufficient amount of time in developing their individual stories. Everybody gets a resolution as well a few defining moments. I’m convinced that Paul Bettany couldn’t act badly if he tried. Andy Serkis devours whole chunks of scenery in a role he clearly relishes. Young Eliza Bennett does a great job as the focal character of Meggie. Veteran actors Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren turn in terrific performances while making it all look far too easy. There may not be Academy Award winning work here, but nobody gives a lazy performance.
Let me stop right here and go ahead and say that Inkheart isn’t a great film. I can’t see that it will make anyone’s list of best films of the year eleven months from now. However, you can feel confident in plunking down your hard-earned cash and walking out of the theater two hours later having been reasonably entertained. Not every film has to be a life-changing, perception-altering experience. Sometimes, it’s ok to go to the movies and simply have a good time. Inkheart is just that and doesn’t really promise or aspire to be anything more. There are a few things said along the way about friendship, rising above who you are and, of course, the power of books, but none of that is forced on you in a preachy manner. Bottom line, there are certainly worse ways to spend an afternoon than with a bag of popcorn and this film.
