An utter delight

Rating: 9/10 (22 July 2014)

'Hugo' tells the story of young Hugo Cabret; a young orphan who lives in Gare Montparnasse station in 1930s Paris. His father was a watchmaker and together they were repairing an old automaton but when his father was killed in an accident he was taken to the station by his uncle where he keeps the clocks running. In his free time he continues to repair the automaton with parts he steals from the station toy shop. When he is caught the shop owner confiscates his notebook and so begins an adventure as he struggles to get it back. He befriends the shopkeeper's goddaughter, Isabelle, and together they manage to get the automaton working; Hugo had expected it to deliver a message from his father but instead it draws a familiar picture and signs it with the name of the shopkeeper; Georges Méliès a pioneer of early cinema. Georges believes that his work has been lost and forgotten; Hugo and Isabelle must prove otherwise.
Director Martin Scorsese may be better known for fairly violent films but this shows that he has the lightness of touch to make a charming tale with young protagonists that can be enjoyed by viewers of all ages. I found it an utter delight and the two hours just flew by. Asa Butterfield and Chloë Grace Moretz put in fine performances as Hugo and Isabelle. The rest of the cast, which includes many well-known actors also perform well. Watching on television I can't say how good the original 3D effects were but even on the small screen everything looked beautiful; with many scenes referencing famous moments in early cinema. The main story is a delight with moments of sadness and moments of pure joy. Some viewers might be less impressed with the side-story involving Sacha Baron Cohen's Station Inspector who is constantly trying to catch Hugo and have him sent to the orphanage something strange for what is essentially a comic relief character! Initially I thought the character would prove interesting but gradually warmed to him as the story progressed. Overall I'd certainly recommend watching this as I found it utterly delightful.