CS Weekly Archive > Weekend Read > 02/10/06

A Fool and His Monkey Are Soon Parted

By ginny defrank & danny munso

Based on the wildly popular children's books about an inquisitive chimp who befriends a simple man and forms a lifelong friendship, Curious George will make people of all ages laugh and cry, and even becomes the quintessential inter-species romantic comedy that will have you reaching for the hankies.

Curious George

Ken Kaufman
Story by Ken Kaufman and Mike Werb
Based on the books by Margaret and H.A. Rey

Deep in the African jungle, we find George, a cute monkey who explores the jungle world around him with the untamed bravado of, say, an untamed animal in the jungle with no parents to prevent him from meddling in the affairs of other jungle animals. Curious George's imagination runs as wild as his jungle environs, but we soon notice that, despite how incorrigible and downright lovable this little guy is, he's missing parents who love him. Meanwhile, miles away, the Man in the Yellow Hat (voiced by Will Ferrell), known here simply as Ted, is confronted with the challenge of saving the museum he works at and loves from a fate as a parking lot at the hands of his boss's jealously ambitious son Junior (v. David Cross). Added to the mix is Maggie (v. Drew Barrymore), a teacher who's so interested in romance with Ted that she brings her group of precocious, tech-savvy students to the museum every week, even though such advances bewilder her intended beau. Although Ted's journey to Africa to find the lost shrine of Zagawa (an elusive monkey-shaped eighth wonder of the world that would prove enough of a draw to save the museum) is a bust, he doesn't come home empty handed, as George really takes a monkey-shine to him.

It's at this point that the film ceases to be simply a children's movie or an elongated Saturday morning cartoon. At its core, Curious George is a romantic comedy, featuring all the great hallmarks of the genre. After enduring a lot of monkey business set to the tunes of Jack Johnson (although you'll think it was John Mayer until the credits roll), Ted reaches rock bottom and sends away the one person in his life who's always been there for him…and it's not even a person. Even Maggie shifts roles and becomes Ted's wingman, giving that advice the protagonist just hasn't wanted to hear before, but can't ignore when faced with losing the one. George also employs the "flashback to better times" montage, where Ted pines for the curious times he had with his monkey. The formula is then followed to its natural conclusion, as Ted proclaims, 'Now if you'll excuse me, I have a date with a monkey!"

If this all sounds a bit ridiculous, it certainly could have been, but screenwriter Ken Kaufman (Muppets From Space, Space Cowboys) [working off a story credited to himself and Mike Werb (The Mask, Face/Off)] never let it get to that point. All the moments mentioned above are quite poignant, touching, and, dare we say, cute. More importantly, Kaufman wisely keeps the film within the placid, gentle realm of the Reys' original books, appealing to both children and the children we all are at heart. By the time George is sent away and so low that he lets a rat take his banana, if you don't have a tear in your eye, then we just can't help you.

That's not to say that missteps aren't made. The Maggie character is pretty much pointless, and even though this is animation, I'm not sure why Kaufman thought they could get away with having Ted float away on a bunch of balloons. It also would have been nice to see more nods to sequences featured in the original books, but the fact remains that this film makes you genuinely care for not just an animated character, but one that never speaks throughout its duration. In this film, small gestures make the difference like when George builds Ted a bed of leaves or George's primitive paintings of the two holding hands. More films (live-action included) would do well to take note of the care that Kaufman gives to his lead chimp, knowing that if the monkey is simply a funny sidekick, there's no movie at all.

Though the catchphrase tweaking to make "Show Me the Monkey" the tagline for this film was annoying originally, it is abundantly clear after viewing that there's only one true sentiment George and Ted could possibly share: "You complete me." Bravo to a non-traditional love story about the magic that happens when you combine a chimp and a pansy. Two opposable thumbs up.

Curious George
Universal Pictures
Rated G; 82 min.

Buy tickets now

Buy the poster

Ginny DeFrank and Danny Munso met in the cold and frightening Creative Screenwriting basement, where they decided to occasionally combine their writing for the greater good. Ginny is currently nursing a writing career while Danny is nursing an injured ankle. They both love Kanye West.

From the Trenches
Working screenwriters discuss in their own words a particular aspect of screenwriting, from the mechanics of writing to the personal and professional impact that writing has had on their lives. > VIEW ARCHIVE

The Art of Craft
Screenwriting experts discuss how to approach various aspects of writing and the writing life. A mini-seminar each week from the people who write the books and teach the classes. > VIEW ARCHIVE

The Big Picture

Features that cover all aspects of screenwriting, from our "Seven Best" lists to analysis of old favorites and new classics. > VIEW ARCHIVE

Expert Witness
A panel of experts assembled to provide the facts about the screenwriting business. Readers will be able have their questions answered by an agent, producer, entertainment attorney, and WGA representative—and without paying that 10% commission. > VIEW ARCHIVE

Son of a Pitch
A weekly tutorial on how to write a script. Each week deals with a different element of creating a script, with the ultimate goal to provide a step-by-step instruction manual for new writers. The guide for this is a writer just diving into screenwriting himself, who asks the pros questions any new screenwriter would have about this brave new world. > VIEW ARCHIVE

Weekend Read
Film, book, web site and technology reviews from a writer’s perspective. How can these items help a writer on his or her journey, or make that journey more enjoyable? > VIEW ARCHIVE

DVD Review of the Day
DVD reviews from a writer’s point of view. What aspects of this script and features of this DVD illuminate the writing, development, and storytelling process? > VIEW ARCHIVE