Zachary Levi is The Perfect Kid in Harold and The Purple Crayon

It would be a child’s biggest dream to draw anything one desired with a big purple crayon?  That’s exactly what happens with a little boy named Harold (Zachary Levi), because inside his book he can make anything come to life simply by drawing it.  However, after he grows up and draws himself off the book’s pages and into the physical world, Harold finds he has a lot to learn about real life and that his purple crayon may set off more hilarity and unexpected twists and turns than he could have ever thought possible.  So, what happens when the power of unlimited imagination falls into the wrong hands?   It takes all of Harold and his friends’ creativity to save both the real world and his own.

Directed by Carlos Saldanha, Harold and the Purple Crayon is the first film adaptation of the beloved children’s classic that has captivated young readers for decades.  Zachary Levi is the perfect person to inhabit the world of Harold as he knows exactly how to conjure up the childlike persona invigorated with the innocence and wonderment making life, everything and everyone around it a just a little more palatable.  As adults, we sometimes become so jaded and hardened by life and its struggles that we forget what life felt and looked like at that age.  Levy brings us right back there in an instant reminding audiences that life isn’t just some trip that happens to us – it’s something we learn to create.

Other than Levi, other standouts are Jermaine Clement as Gary. His over-the-top librarian is just the right brand of ridiculousness rooted in reality that the film needs to soar even further alongside Tanya Reynolds (Porcupine), Lil Rel Howery (Moose) and Benjamin Bottani (Mel).

David Guion & Michael Handelman’s screenplay adapted from Crockett Johnson’s book has a few plot holes here and there, but audiences will still be on board with a young boy who simply wants to reconnect with his Dad to continue the adventure and fun they have created for each other’s worlds. After all, with a little imagination you can make your life whatever you want it to be.