HUGO

Over a career spanning more than four decades, Martin Scorsese (The Departed) has established himself as a purveyor of gritty, mostly pessimistic dramas populated by such unforgettable delinquents as cab-driving sociopath Travis Bickle (Taxi Driver) and vicious mafioso Tommy DeVito (Goodfellas). Enchanting and immensely heartfelt, Hugo is a rare departure from Scorsese’s modus operandi and arguably the director’s most accessible film to date. Set in 1930s Paris, Hugo tells the story of an orphan (Asa Butterfield) who lives in the walls of a bustling railway station. Determined to repair a clockwork robot left to him by his late father, the young boy begins thieving mechanical parts from a malcontent toy shop owner named Georges Méliès (Sir Ben Kingsley) – a real-life fantasy film pioneer and magician who fell on hard times during The Great War. Butterfield displays an emotional range beyond his short years, whilst Kingsley captures the sorrow of a man struggling to reconcile with his past. Co-stars include Chloë Moretz as Méliès’ cheerful goddaughter, and Sacha Baron Cohen as a cruel yet deliciously droll station inspector. Scorsese tackles big themes with his trademark finesse, but the film’s true appeal lies in its sheer exuberance, optimism and sincerity. Moreover, film-buffs will relish the inclusion of archival footage from Méliès’ visually-arresting short films, which, like Hugo, possess the spirit of adventure. Based on Brian Selznick’s illustrated novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Scorsese’s latest, most atypical feature is not only the best family film in recent memory, but also a joyous celebration of film in the vein of Cinema Paradiso. (JH) ****1/2