Mishaps. Misadventures. Mayhem. Oh Joy.|Dec. 16, 2004|Germany | United States|108 Min.|PG
Genre: Adventure;Comedy;Family
Description: In a clock tower, investigator Lemony Snicket starts documenting the story of the Baudelaire children’s whereabouts. The story follows Violet, a fourteen-year-old inventor, her twelve-year-old book-loving brother Klaus, and their sharp-tongued baby sister Sunny. After a mysterious fire destroys their home and kills their parents, they become orphans. Mr. Poe, the family banker, takes charge of their affairs and places them in the care of their closest relative, Count Olaf, a stage actor and distant cousin. Olaf is determined to seize their family fortune, which is held in trust until Violet comes of age. He mistreats the children, forcing them into hard labor and belittling them.
During a journey back from the court, where Count Olaf legally gains custody, he leaves the children locked in a car parked on train tracks as a train approaches. Using their resourcefulness, the children create a device to divert the train, saving themselves. Mr. Poe arrives and removes them from Olaf’s care, mistakenly believing Olaf had allowed Sunny to drive.
Next, the children are sent to live with their eccentric but kind uncle, Dr. Montgomery, a herpetologist. However, Olaf reappears disguised as his assistant, Stephano. The children try to warn their uncle, but he dismisses their concerns, believing Olaf is after his prized snake, the Incredibly Deadly Viper. Soon after, Montgomery is found dead, and the viper is blamed. Olaf nearly gains custody again, but Sunny exposes his guilt by proving the viper is harmless, forcing him to flee.
The children are then placed with Aunt Josephine, a grammar-obsessed widow who fears nearly everything. Olaf returns, this time disguised as Captain Sham, and meddles in their lives once more. One day, Aunt Josephine vanishes, leaving behind a note that appears to entrust the children to Captain Sham. The story highlights the children’s resilience and the relentless pursuit of Count Olaf.
Cast director: Brad Silberling
Cast actor: Emily Browning, Liam Aiken, Jim Carrey, Meryl Streep, Jude Law, Kara Hoffman, Shelby Hoffman, Timothy Spall, Billy Connolly, Luis Guzmán
Original name: Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events