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IMDbPro

A Series of Unfortunate Events

  • 20042004
  • PGPG
  • 1h 48m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
208K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,559
913
Jim Carrey, Liam Aiken, Emily Browning, Shelby Hoffman, and Kara Hoffman in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
Home Video Trailer from Paramount Home Entertainment
Play trailer1:45
1 Video
99+ Photos
AdventureComedyFamily
When a massive fire kills their parents, three children are delivered to the custody of cousin and stage actor Count Olaf, who is secretly plotting to steal their parents' vast fortune.When a massive fire kills their parents, three children are delivered to the custody of cousin and stage actor Count Olaf, who is secretly plotting to steal their parents' vast fortune.When a massive fire kills their parents, three children are delivered to the custody of cousin and stage actor Count Olaf, who is secretly plotting to steal their parents' vast fortune.
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
208K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,559
913
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Brad Silberling
    • Writers
      • Robert Gordon(screenplay)
      • Daniel Handler(books "The Bad Beginning", "The Reptile Room" and "The Wide Window")
    • Stars
      • Jim Carrey
      • Jude Law(voice)
      • Meryl Streep
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Brad Silberling
    • Writers
      • Robert Gordon(screenplay)
      • Daniel Handler(books "The Bad Beginning", "The Reptile Room" and "The Wide Window")
    • Stars
      • Jim Carrey
      • Jude Law(voice)
      • Meryl Streep
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 659User reviews
    • 179Critic reviews
    • 62Metascore
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 10 wins & 28 nominations total

    Videos1

    Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
    Trailer 1:45
    Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events

    Photos232

    Laurie MacDonald and Walter F. Parkes in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
    Liam Aiken, Emily Browning, Shelby Hoffman, and Kara Hoffman in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
    Liam Aiken, Emily Browning, Shelby Hoffman, and Kara Hoffman in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
    Meryl Streep and Brad Silberling in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
    Jim Carrey and Meryl Streep in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
    Jim Carrey, Meryl Streep, Liam Aiken, and Emily Browning in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
    Liam Aiken, Emily Browning, Shelby Hoffman, and Kara Hoffman in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
    Jim Carrey in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
    Liam Aiken, Emily Browning, Billy Connolly, Shelby Hoffman, and Kara Hoffman in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
    Jim Carrey and Liam Aiken in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
    Jim Carrey, Liam Aiken, Emily Browning, Shelby Hoffman, and Kara Hoffman in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
    Timothy Spall, Liam Aiken, Emily Browning, Shelby Hoffman, and Kara Hoffman in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jim Carrey
    Jim Carrey
    • Count Olaf
    Jude Law
    Jude Law
    • Lemony Snicket
    • (voice)
    Meryl Streep
    Meryl Streep
    • Aunt Josephine
    Liam Aiken
    Liam Aiken
    • Klaus
    Emily Browning
    Emily Browning
    • Violet
    Kara Hoffman
    Kara Hoffman
    • Sunny
    Shelby Hoffman
    Shelby Hoffman
    • Sunny
    Timothy Spall
    Timothy Spall
    • Mr. Poe
    Catherine O'Hara
    Catherine O'Hara
    • Justice Strauss
    Billy Connolly
    Billy Connolly
    • Uncle Monty
    Luis Guzmán
    Luis Guzmán
    • Bald Man
    • (as Luis Guzman)
    Jamie Harris
    Jamie Harris
    • Hook-Handed Man
    Craig Ferguson
    Craig Ferguson
    • Person of Indeterminate Gender
    Jennifer Coolidge
    Jennifer Coolidge
    • White Faced Woman
    Jane Adams
    Jane Adams
    • White Faced Woman
    Cedric the Entertainer
    Cedric the Entertainer
    • Constable
    Bob Clendenin
    Bob Clendenin
    • Grocery Clerk
    • (as Robert Clendenin)
    Lenny Clarke
    Lenny Clarke
    • Gruff Grocer
    • Director
      • Brad Silberling
    • Writers
      • Robert Gordon(screenplay)
      • Daniel Handler(books "The Bad Beginning", "The Reptile Room" and "The Wide Window")
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When the children first meet Count Olaf and Jim Carrey says, "Wait, give me that last line again" was not actually in the script. It was Carrey staying in character and wanting to try it again, but they kept the cameras rolling and felt it worked the way it happened.
    • Goofs
      When Count Olaf asks why the children haven't cooked him roast beef, he is standing on the ground in front of his acting troupe. In the next shot, about a second later, he is shown jumping down from the table (This is due to cutting an extended scene where Olaf gets onto the table and ruins the dinner they have prepared).
    • Quotes

      Count Olaf: I must say, you are a gloomy looking bunch. Why so glum?

      Klaus Baudelaire: ...Our parents just died.

      Count Olaf: Ah yes, of course. How very, very awful. Wait! Let me do that one more time. Give me the line again! Quickly, while it's fresh in my mind!

      Klaus Baudelaire: [uncertainly] Our parents just died?

      Count Olaf: [gasps dramatically]

      Sunny: [in baby talk] What a schmuck!

    • Crazy credits
      There is a credit for 'baby wrangler.'
    • Alternate versions
      When aired on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, lines with profanity such as "Damn it, this was such a good character" have the offending language removed. In this case the line simply becomes "this was such a good character." However, what is odd is the line "No one knows the precise cause of the Baudelaire fire. My colleagues and I have investigated as best we can. But all we've discovered is that the blaze was started from a great distance through the refraction and convergence of light. And within moments, the entire mansion was in flames." is removed entirely, which is odd since it's an important plot point. However the line " And as mysterious as the source of the blaze, other mysteries began to unfold before the children's eyes. Every family has its secrets, doors left unopened. But as Klaus now realized, the smallest discovery would send his mind reeling with questions." is kept intact.
    • Connections
      Featured in A Terrible Tragedy: Alarming Evidence from the Making of the Film - A Woeful World (2004)
    • Soundtracks
      Loverly Spring
      By Thomas Newman and Bill Bernstein

    User reviews659

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Some Gothic horror and humor in equal doses in Victorian style tale of woe...
    LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS puts the spotlight on two kids who suffer an almost Dickensian fate complete with a villainous uncle, Count Olaf (JIM CARREY) and an eccentric Aunt Josephine (MERYL STREEP). The uncle wants to deprive them of their rightful inheritance and pulls all sorts of schemes to do exactly that, each time confronted by the clever children who are always able to escape his clutches.

    As the children, LIAM AIKEN and EMILY BROWNING are excellent and believable as they confront their wicked and devious uncle with methods of their own.

    Carrey is hilarious in his usual over-the-top sort of performance that suits the material and Meryl Streep is equally skillful in an amusing characterization as the aunt who is afraid of just about everything while supposedly taking charge of the three orphans that show up at her doorstep.

    The humor is cleverly imposed on all of the characters, especially Carrey, Streep and Timothy Spall who has a fine time in another good character role. Costumes, make-up, settings are all way above average with the look of the film closely resembling something Tim Burton would devise.

    A film that never got its due acclaim, it's well worth your time as a fascinating excursion into another world, both darkly grim and still intentionally humorous in conception. Thomas Newsman's score is a major asset, as is narration by Jude Law.
    helpful•11
    1
    • Doylenf
    • Feb 20, 2011

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 17, 2004 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Germany
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Desventuras em Série
      • Desventuras em Série Brasil
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
    • Filming locations
      • Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
    • Production companies
      • Paramount Pictures
      • Dreamworks Pictures
      • Nickelodeon Movies
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $140,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $118,634,549
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $30,061,756
      • Dec 19, 2004
    • Gross worldwide
      • $211,468,235
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 48 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital EX
      • DTS-ES
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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