At first glance, the basic premise of Night at the Museum appears to build off an idea just about everyone has had: what does happen to all the displays and exhibits at the museum when the building closes' Could those lifelike wax figures and magically historic artifacts really come to life' But make no mistake, Night at the Museum is actually about a man's attempt to find some stability and show that he truly can be a good father to his son. The rest is just a fun way of making that happen.
Larry (Ben Stiller) is a bit of a dreamer. Unfortunately, like many dreamers, Larry has yet to find the one dream that will come true. By focusing his life on ideas like "the Snapper" (like the clapper only with snap sounds instead of clapping), Larry is an unstable mess. His bills are unpaid, he's about to be evicted again, and worst of all, his son is taking more of an interest in his mother's bond tradesman fianc then his real father. In an effort to find some stability, Larry winds up taking a job as a night watchman at the Museum of Natural History. When he discovers the exhibits come to life at night, Larry winds up in a world that allows a dreamer like Larry to find success, yet affords stability. But even that doesn't seem to be enough for a man who's used to walking away from everything except his own son.
As much as I like Ben Stiller, quite frequently I find him in roles where the director refuses to reign Stiller in, choosing to allow Stiller's ability to continue to ad lib a take until the gag has been drilled into the ground over moving a story along. To be fair, frequently that fault is Stiller's own error, as he often directs himself. It's my surprise, and Night at the Museum's credit, that this is not one of those movies. Director Shawn Levy (The Pink Panther) focuses on his story, clearly taking advantage of Stiller's affinity for improv, but clearly knowing when to pull the plug and allow the story to move on.
Truth be told, most of the stereotypical elements of Night at the Museum are underplayed instead of being traditionally over the top. That starts with Stiller's improv, but carries on to other elements as well. Take Larry's ex-wife's fianc, skillfully underplayed by Paul Rudd. Traditionally a character like that would almost be a superman figure, showing up Larry in every way. Instead Don is just a guy. The only trait he has going for him that puts him above Larry is that he holds down a steady, successful job. There's no indication that he's a better father than Larry, just that he's more stable.
That underplayed element extends to other, traditionally wilder, members of the cast. Levy has assembled a veritable who's who of comedic actors, many of who are well known for their ability to improvise. Robin Williams is incredibly tame as Teddy Roosevelt, as is Ricky Gervais as the museum's curator. Legendary actors Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, and Bill Cobbs play off each other excellently as the former night watchmen who are framing Larry, but none of them move to the moustache twirling exaggerations they could play.
Bringing the denizens of the museum to life requires quite a few special effects and, if anywhere, this is where Night at the Museum flails a little bit. Although the movie isn't exactly groundbreaking, relying on tried and true effects like greenscreen mattes and CG animation, the effects fall short of selling the scene some times, particularly when trying to convince the audience that Steve Coogan, Owen Wilson, and dozens of cowboys and Romans are just a couple inches tall. It's a minor weak point for the film though, and easily overlooked when looking at the movie as a whole.
Night at the Museum is one of those rare films I would recommend for the entire family. Kids will be entertained by the inhabitants of the museum brought to life, particularly Dexter the monkey and the giant T-Rex skeleton. Adults will enjoy the story of a dad trying to find stability for his son, particularly because it isn't done in an especially sappy way or overdone. The effects might come up short sometimes, but the performances and story make this a grand adventure everyone can enjoy.
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Night at the Museum - DVD Review
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