The Lorax: A movie I would watch with my daughter

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UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not. - Dr. Seuss

Long ago, when I was a child, we used to drink water from our faucet. However, years ago we started buying drinking water. Possibly, because there had been studies that showed tap water in our area had a lot of bacteria. Or simply, the water just became too dirty to drink because of the increasing pollution. I'm not really sure why as I was still too young back then but I remember my Mom remarking that, probably, next time we'll also be buying air. Possibly, yes, in the future. If the pollution continues to be so bad.

As a parent, I wanted to nourish my child with the best nuggets of wisdom to become a better human being. Right now, she still does not have enough life experience so, I guess, one of the ways I can relate them to her in an interesting manner is through books and movies. A movie that perfectly scores that is "The Lorax".

I was surprised that this movie was shown last 2012. I never heard of it until I saw it on my Netflix recommendations. My husband, however, related that he had already seen it a few times. Oh well, it flew under my radar.

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The Lorax is set in Thneedville, a materialistic town with no trees since people find them 'filthy'. Instead, people buy fancy plastic trees. Audrey, a girl Ted fancies, wanted to see a real tree for her birthday. Ted, then, set foot to look for a real Truffula tree. There, he met the Onceler who related to him how the Truffula trees went extinct. In his visits to the Onceler, he earned the ire of Mr. O'Hare, a businessman who sells manufactured "fresh air."

The movie was an adaptation of the pro-environment book written by Dr. Seuss. Sadly, it has been heavily lambasted by critics, calling it "the worst adaptation of Dr. Seuss's books" (https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_lorax_2012). I haven't read the book yet and I haven't seen The Grinch since I was 10 years old so I couldn't make a good comparison. Instead, I thoroughly enjoyed "The Lorax." It's the only animated movie I have seen recently that tackled materialism and environmentalism in a child-friendly manner. Why should I complain?

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WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

The Truffula trees went extinct due to corporate greed and the citizens of Thneedville are buying air, similarly, because of corporate greed. Mr. O'Hare has done his share of polluting the environment and obstructing the planting of trees so he can sell more "fresh air". Ted's journey to planting a tree once again amidst O'Hare's interruptions was enjoyable. However, what captivated my attention more is the Onceler's story wherein we met, the eponymous Lorax, the guardian of trees.

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Oncie had a product he strongly believed in: The Thneed. To make the Thneed, however, he chopped down a Truffula tree. This angered the Lorax. He then made Oncie promise to never chop down a tree to produce his product. For some time, Oncie developed an odd friendship with the Lorax and the animals of the Truffula village. However, he broke his promise to the Lorax when his mother asked him to increase their production. He deforested the area causing harm to the animals and driving them away.

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Oncie was a relatable character: an ambitious boy eager to prove his worth to his family and the world. We met him as a boy whom his mother doubted would succeed in life. With determination to prove her wrong, he drove away from home with his donkey in search of success.

What he had done to the Truffula village to be rich made me reflect as a parent. I know we should encourage our children to reach their full capabilities. And most of the time, children are pressured to please us. Yet, for me, I want to teach my little one that she shouldn't harm the environment or anyone to reach her dreams. This movie reminded me I should shape my little one into a mindful being. That's enough for me to watch it with my little girl in a few years. For those wondering, my little one is roughly two years old and she still does not have enough attention span to watch a movie.

Aside from that, I also liked the movie’s on-the-nose way of sending its messages. It's easier for kids to understand. Although, truly, some of the musical numbers can be a bit jarring. However, (I guess, I am alone in this) I did love Oncie's montage of "How Bad Can I Be?" which showed his descent into a greedy corporate douchebag who harmed the animals who were once his friends.

The movie was also visually stunning especially when they take us to the Onceler’s youthful days. The Truffula trees are just breathtaking. No wonder Audrey wanted to see one. I know that my young one’s eyes will also be pleased.

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The Truffula Trees
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The movie is a thoroughly enjoyable family movie enough to teach a toddler or a preschooler to care for the environment. Perhaps, when my little one is older we'll delve into the book. From what I have seen on the internet, it’s darker and it presents more aptly the effect of corporate greed on the environment. For the near future though, I am happy with the movie.