Review of Addams Family Values (1993) by Alexandra B — 26 Apr 2013

As far as sequels go, this one was excellent. Lacking the enthusiasm of its predecessor perhaps, but with the same stellar cast and added greats such as Joan Cusack as the evil, money-obsessed nanny. In this follow-up, audiences are graciously privileged to see the blossoming Christina Ricci take her place as one of the better American actresses of latter years playing Wednesday, the gloomy daughter of Morticia and Gomez.

Anjelica Huston provides the eerie beauty and creepy allure of Morticia, wife and mother of the Addams clan. In one of his last movies before his untimely death, Raul Julia gives one of his personal best performances as the cigar-smoking patriarch of the clan.

Together, Julia and Huston are magical, timeless and perfect in their portrayal of the passionate, gruesome twosome. Huston is comparably as entertaining in 'The Witches', yet in more recent films, I feel she has become slightly stereotyped in her roles.

One of her better performances occurred in 'The Royal Tenenbaums' along with Gene Hackman, where she showed some of the same lustrous enthusiasm for the role, as she did in 'Addams Family Values'.

Christopher Lloyd of 'Back to the Future' fame stars as Gomez's brother Fester. 'It means to rot.'! Fester is the unfortunate romantic fool and prey to the children's new nanny, due to his infamous amounts of cash.

Lloyd as always is loyal to the fans and never fails to make one laugh, as the rascalish younger brother. Entreating the children to adventures with cyanide and arsenic in the first movie, he remains a loving uncle, always willing to light a light-bulb in his mouth for Pugsley's entertainment! Jimmy Workman, I have noted is hardly ever credited for his very believable performance as the son of the Addams', Pugsley.

As a young boy, constantly the play-thing in his sister's world of "Let's play 'God'", letting Wednesday electrocute him, assisting his sister in dropping their new sibling off the roof and generally carrying knives and other sorts of dangerous implements, all for the fun! 'Addams Family Values' is good, clean(ish) fun for all the family, but unlike its predecessor, it might be more enjoyable to the kids.