Harold and the Purple Crayon
★★ 1/2
Walking into Harold and the Purple Crayon, I was blissfully unaware that it was based on a beloved series of children’s books. With fresh eyes and no nostalgic bias, I was ready to see if Harold and his crayon could color outside the cinematic lines. Spoiler alert: while the film tries to sketch an imaginative story, it occasionally struggles to stay inside the lines of engaging family entertainment.
Let’s start with the heart of the story: Harold’s whimsical, imaginative world. Kids will likely connect with the film’s playful and creative nature, as it taps into the magic of childlike wonder. However, for adults, the film may feel more like a quick scribble than a masterpiece. Its story has an air of forgettability, with nothing particularly terrible but nothing groundbreaking either.
Zachary Levi takes the lead as Harold’s dad, bringing his signature affable charm. While Levi is undeniably likable, his performance here feels like a paint-by-numbers effort. It’s a character we’ve seen him play before—plenty of charisma but lacking depth. He has the chops to show more range, and I can’t help but hope for a future role that lets him break free from his usual mold.
Jermaine Clement, however, absolutely goes for it as the film’s villain (or “villain of sorts”). His quirky, over-the-top performance is a highlight, providing much-needed energy and humor. If the rest of the cast had matched Clement’s commitment to the tone, the movie might have been far more memorable. Unfortunately, most of the supporting cast seems to play it safe, sticking to the edges rather than diving headfirst into the zany world Harold creates.
The film's pacing and character development are where it falters most. Some characters feel like afterthoughts, their purpose in the story unclear. And while the imaginative concept is appealing, the execution doesn’t quite capture the magic that made the original book series so beloved. For parents, the film may serve as an easy distraction for kids but is unlikely to become a household favorite.
In the end, Harold and the Purple Crayon is like a doodle on a napkin: charming in its simplicity but not something you’d hang on the fridge. Kids will enjoy it for what it is, but it’s not a movie they—or their parents—will be itching to revisit. It’s a one-and-done kind of watch, and that’s okay. After all, not every drawing has to be a masterpiece.
