Addams Family Values - 7 stars out of 10

Addams Family Values - 7 stars out of 10

The Addamses are back.  Again!  And "Addams Family Values" is undoubtedly the finest incarnation of this fictional family in their 40 year history.  Only two years after "The Addams Family" and with much of the same cast, this film manages to be far superior because of its script.  The humor is much smarter this time around ("He has my father's eyes." "Gomez, take those out of his mouth.") and the characters are able to develop instead of trying to be a continuation of the 1960's tv series.  It's rated PG-13 but you probably need to be 15 or 16 years old before you can fully understand and appreciate the humor in this film.  But don't be deceived - there is enough stupid humor in here for the kid in all of us (like Uncle Fester with the carrots up his nose at dinner and the baby having a mustache).  You just have to love seeing these characters come to life, like when Anjelica Huston comes walking down the stairs in the inhumanly thin dress, just like Morticia from the cartoons.  Raul Julia gives a very fine performance as Gomez in one of his final roles before his young death.  I am so glad that they kept most of the same cast from the 1991 picture, but the casting of Carol Kane as Grandmama Addams is genius.  That character was very unmemorable in the first film but got a lot of laughs in "Values" ("What about Debbie?")  You've also got to love that it takes the entire first film and an hour into the second film before Wednesday smiles for the first time - Christina Ricci was also static in the first film but stole the spotlight this time.  Wednesday and Pugsley's failed attempts at killing the baby were amusing, but thank goodness that the writers were smart enough to end that in the first 20 minutes before it could get old.  All of the supporting roles were incredible, too.  The camp counselors were spot on in their annoying stereotype and Joan Cusack made a brilliant villain.  Her fake kindness is hilarious, and her mean side is even funnier.  I would watch this film again just for her, but who could forget Christopher Lloyd as Uncle Fester?  Could this really be the same actor that played Doc Brown in Back to the Future?  His awkward slapstick acting is just too funny and I will watch this film over and over again just for his moments (and... all of the other great things that I've mentioned in this review).  In addition to the script and acting, the musical score is very clever as it incorporates the well-know 1960's Addams Family theme into Lurch's organ music, the tango, and the wedding march.  From start to finish, "Addams Family Values" is a solid comedy and can easily be viewed without watching the 1991 film first.

P.S. Unlike the first film, this version does NOT contain a song by M.C. Hammer during the closing credits; unfortunately, it is worse.  This time you get to enjoy "Whoomp! (There It Is)" by Tag Team, only this time they've elected to go with "Whoomp!  The Addams Family, there it is!"  As with the first film, I highly recommend muting the tv and watching the closing credits in silence, as this is obviously a continuation of the comical dark tone of the film, forcing the audience to listen to something as painful as this as they leave the theater.