Previews for this film gave me no interest in it, but on a whim I decided to rent the video and in the end was glad I did, because it's a creative and fun but also emotionally impacting story about one woman's journey to finding the "magic" within herself. It's a little too heavy for young children, but adults will find it a wonderful and imaginative production full of hidden truths.

Mr. Magorium (Dustin Hoffman) has owned his magical toy store for over a hundred years, but he's on his last pair of leather shoes and knows his time bringing joy to millions of children is soon t be at an end. Working for him is the talented but musically frustrated Molly (Natalie Portman), whose compositions as a child were considered remarkable, but now that she's in her twenties are no longer impressive. Every night she bangs away on the piano in the hope of discovering a new melody, and each morning she comes to work sad that she has accomplished nothing. The Emporium is home to a number of magical events and toys, where children from all over the city come to explore and play. Its most frequent visitor is the shy and self-contained Eric (Zach Mills), whose mother wants him to make friends but who has much more fun collecting hats.

To put his finances and affairs in order before turning over the store to Molly, Mr. Magorium employs the use of a consultant, Henry (Jason Bateman). Altogether too grown up and serious for his own good, he neither finds Molly's jokes amusing nor notices that there is something strange about the store. It seems to be throwing a temper tantrum at the notion of its old master and friend moving on. But before Mr. Magorium can depart, he must make a difference in the life of Molly, who is so distraught at the notion of him leaving that she wants nothing more to do with the Emporium or its magical powers.

Many people went into the theaters expecting a lighthearted romp and instead found a deeply moving, often serious look at grief. Even though Mr. Magorium talks about his departure in terms of "just leaving," older audiences know that he means that he is going to die, and this colors some scenes with a hint of melancholy sorrow. I actually cried on several occasions. At first, the overall zaniness of the production threw me off. Hoffman is over the top but soon we come to realize that's just his character -- larger than life and downright absurd, but kind-hearted and generous. Natalie's haircut is simply horrible but what transpires in her life is tremendous. I was surprised at the ending, for it was one about learning to adapt to the different times in your life. But the real gem here is Eric, a little boy with amazing wisdom and sweetness who just may be one of the best written-for-the-screen characters I have ever encountered.

It is rated PG for thematic elements (surrounding death) and some comic violence when the store throws a temper tantrum and toys go flying in all directions, but other than that there is no content, just a couple mild abuses of deity. Its messages are about loving every moment of your life, in the good times and bad, as well as never forgetting what it was like to be a child, even when you have grown up. There is a certain amount of magic involved, but it's all harmless and quite sweet. The store has moods and the walls turn gray and ominously bubble whenever it is upset.