Night in the Museum
Rated: PG • Running Time: 1 hour, 49 minutes Starring: Ben Stiller as Larry Daley; Robin Williams as Teddy; Dick Van Dyke as Cecil; Carla Gugino as Rebecca; Owen Wilson as Jedediah; Steve Coogan as Octavius; Mickey Rooney as Gus; Ricky Gervais as Dr. McPhee Director: Shawn Levy Themes: Perseverance, teamwork, meeting people at their point of need, challenges of divorce and parenting, trustworthiness, empathy, the richness of history, extending
grace, looking past conflict to find common ground Cautions: A mystical Egyptian tablet gives the exhibits life. There are brief references to Darwinism and Attila the Hun’s fascination with dark sorcery. Language is limited to a few innuendos, “oh my god”s and the phrase “Don’t be a kissa--.” A monkey urinates on Larry. There’s lots of mild action violence, though battles on the museum floor usually have a humorous edge.
Story Summary
Greatness has eluded Larry Daley. Attempts to make a name for himself have left this down-and-out dreamer and divorced dad in need of a job and desperate to earn his 10-year-old son’s respect. Larry feels a sense of urgency now that his ex-wife is set to remarry, so he grudgingly accepts a menial night-watchman position at New York’s Museum of Natural History. Cutbacks have forced the curator to retire the three elderly guards—Cecil, Gus and Reginald—in favor of one young newcomer. Despite some resentment, the outgoing watchmen (who appear to have something up their sleeves) feel that Larry will be a useful replacement. Guests gone. Employees clocked-out. Doors locked. Larry settles in for a dull shift surrounded by wax dummies, static dioramas and silence, save for the echo of his own footsteps on the cold marble floor. But his first night on the job proves to be no ordinary assignment. First, the skeleton of a toothy tyrannosaurus vanishes from its pedestal. Flashlight in hand, Larry finds it drinking from a water fountain, and soon discovers that everything in the museum comes to life
grace, looking past conflict to find common ground Cautions: A mystical Egyptian tablet gives the exhibits life. There are brief references to Darwinism and Attila the Hun’s fascination with dark sorcery. Language is limited to a few innuendos, “oh my god”s and the phrase “Don’t be a kissa--.” A monkey urinates on Larry. There’s lots of mild action violence, though battles on the museum floor usually have a humorous edge.
Story Summary
Greatness has eluded Larry Daley. Attempts to make a name for himself have left this down-and-out dreamer and divorced dad in need of a job and desperate to earn his 10-year-old son’s respect. Larry feels a sense of urgency now that his ex-wife is set to remarry, so he grudgingly accepts a menial night-watchman position at New York’s Museum of Natural History. Cutbacks have forced the curator to retire the three elderly guards—Cecil, Gus and Reginald—in favor of one young newcomer. Despite some resentment, the outgoing watchmen (who appear to have something up their sleeves) feel that Larry will be a useful replacement. Guests gone. Employees clocked-out. Doors locked. Larry settles in for a dull shift surrounded by wax dummies, static dioramas and silence, save for the echo of his own footsteps on the cold marble floor. But his first night on the job proves to be no ordinary assignment. First, the skeleton of a toothy tyrannosaurus vanishes from its pedestal. Flashlight in hand, Larry finds it drinking from a water fountain, and soon discovers that everything in the museum comes to life