A classic family tale, this adaptation of Brian Selznik's children's novel about a young boy living within the inside workings of a railway station clock in Paris, is beautifully sculptured by Martin Scorsese (“Goodfellas” & “Gangs of New York”).

The essence of the story is about the love of cinema and film being the invention of dreams. With its exquisite production design depicting the ambience and life at the 19th century Paris railway station, Scorsese creates a reality that we immediately embrace.

There are many secrets in this story - which are all revealed in their own time. Central to the plot is Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield), the orphan whose life is one big secret. He keeps under the radar, living behind the façade of the big railway station clock, through whose roman numerals he can see the arrondissements of beautiful Paris stretched out below. To survive, he has to steal food and also avoid the clutches of the Station Inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen), who has his own secrets and is on the lookout to round up stray orphans. But the story really begins when Georges Méliès (Ben Kingsley), the grumpy old man from the toy repair stall takes a precious notebook from the boy that belonged to his father (Jude Law) which contains sketches of an automaton, a robot with a purpose. Méliès' granddaughter Isabelle (Chloë Grace Moretz) loves books and secrets and itches for an adventure to take her out of her sheltered life.

The film's strength is the wonderful contained reality that Scorsese creates in the railway station - by way of imagery and characters.

Hugo's journey is a poignant one as he finds the purpose of his only friend, the automaton, which in turn leads him to a new life. Butterfield gives a splendid performance as the lonely boy and Moretz is enchanting as the little girl who sees Hugo's life through different eyes.

There's a sense of wonder about the origins of cinema and the film's heart-warming resolution will uplift hearts of all ages.

Urban Cinefile
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