How the Grinch Stole Christmas (film)/YMMV
- Accidental Nightmare Fuel: The make-up for most of the Whos is unintentionally spooky.
- Critical Backlash: From the half of the audience who liked it. It's nowhere near among the greatest Christmas films of all time, and it may have been stretched out too long for some people, but to others, it's not a bad film adaptation of the book and mostly maintains the spirit of it. And not to mention, it's far better than the following film based on a Dr. Seuss book. It helps that Ron Howard defended the film as more variations on a theme than a straight adaptation.
- Cult Classic: While not as beloved as the Chuck Jones cartoon, the Ron Howard film is loved in its own right by Millennials.
- Draco in Leather Pants: Martha and (arguably) Cindy Lou do this for the Grinch, Martha since she's got a crush on him and Cindy because she wants to believe that if there's something wrong with him and he can change, then so can she since she thinks something's wrong with her.
- Franchise Original Sin: While it had some of the same problems that The Cat in the Hat movie would also have, they're not as prevalent in this film. For example, there is far less "adult" humor.
- Ham and Cheese: Many agree that Jim Carrey’s performance as the Grinch is one of the better parts of the film.
- Harsher in Hindsight: Jeffrey Tambor's troubling behavior makes his lust for Martha more cringeworthy.
- Hilarious in Hindsight: Jim Carrey would later play Scrooge, who also hated Christmas but got a change of heart in the 2009 animated A Christmas Carol film.
- Jerkass Woobie: The Grinch due to his new backstory. He was a borderline sociopath as a kid until one Christmas he put all his heart into embracing the holiday and being good... and wound up traumatized and an outcast in the end. Then at the Whoobilation, he starts getting into the holiday again... until the Mayor yanks his chain and reinforces his previous cynical view of it.
- Magnificent Bastard: Jim Carrey's Grinch doesn't seem much like one at first. But starting from his actions at town square during the Whobilation and on into his actual stealing of Christmas, he shows himself to be dangerously bold, cunning, efficient, and not to be trifled with.
- Memetic Mutation: "This is not pudding."
- The Problem with Licensed Games: This trope is both played straight and averted by the movie's video game adaptations. The version released for PS1, PC and Dreamcast was critically thrashed for clumsy controls, weak graphics and being way too confusing and frustrating, especially for its target audience. However, the Game Boy Color version was praised as a fun little stealth-puzzle game that's like a cross between Pac-Man and Metal Gear.
- Retroactive Recognition:
- Cindy Lou grew up to be Jenny Humphrey.
- Richard Steven Horvitz, now known as Invader Zim, got to voice the Grinch's Answering Machine.
- Bryce Dallas Howard played a surprised Who. (Thanks to her dad being the director.)
- Squick: At one point, the Grinch gleefully tricks the sleeping mayor into rimming Max. No, really.
- Straw Man Has a Point: The Grinch's little rant after the aforementioned yanking is not entirely without merit.
- And strangely enough, Augustus'[1] complaints about the Grinch as well. While it was his cruel gift and proposal to Martha that set off the Grinch's rampage, the Grinch still caused a major explosion in the town and decided to steal everyone's Christmas items[2]. Those aren't the actions of someone you normally want to be part of your celebrations.
- Tear Jerker: The Grinch as a little kid, standing there on the mountain, shivering and alone, after everyone has finally, completely broken him mentally into thinking nobody in the world loves him. Just... just... "sniff".
- Values Resonance: While somewhat politicized, the film had a well thought-out criticism of Christmas materialism.
- Vindicated by History: After the failure of the Cat in the Hat film and mixed reception of the 2018 computer-animated Grinch film, many looked at this film in a positive light for trying something a little different.