With a whimsical title, Wes Anderson bright colors and a cast including Dustin Hoffman and Natalie Portman, "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" seems like a sure-fire winner for adults and children. It's not a complete failure, but it's certainly not what it promises to be.

Mr. Magorium revolves around the tale of 243-year-old Mr. Magorium (Hoffman), owner of a magical toy shop, and his protégé, Molly Mahoney (Portman). The magical Mr. Magorium decides that he needs to hire an accountant (Jason Bateman) to calculate the worth of his toy store, but little does Mahoney know, Magorium hires the accountant because he is planning on ending his magical life and leaving the store in her capable hands. The toy store, being magical and all, does not respond well to its creator's decision to leave this earth, and begins to react negatively by turning gray and letting toys run amok and generally throwing a temper-tantrum.

Mahoney, not sure of her own worth and capabilities, is not ready to lose her mentor and run his magical store. The accountant, Henry Weston, does not believe in the magic and wonder of the store. A young boy by the name of Eric (Zach Mills) constantly tries to unite all the adults.

The story is filled with positive messages, but they just come across contrived. In just over an hour and a half, an audience of at least 50 percent children is asked to understand the natural and finite nature of death (magical, chosen-at-your-own-convenient-moment death), the concept of enjoying the smallest pleasures life has to offer, self-confidence and embracing your inner child. Hoffman's character even goes so far as to use Act 5 from "King Lear" to describe his own death. It's very poetic, as is the nature of Shakespeare, but does it really work well with a children's movie? The children in the audience seemed restless and the adults rarely laughed at the lame jokes.

If the little ones in your family beg you to take them to this one, tell them to hold out until it comes out on cable.

Mr. Magorium is a bit like Willy Wonka, a bit like Peter Pan and a bit like Pee Wee Herman and the combination never fully gels. It may be the silly lisp he incorporates into the character. It may be lame writing. It's probably both.

Mills' character is probably the most charming character in the movie, but that may have something to do with the fact that he's 12 and looks like he's eight.

Bateman and Portman just play horribly predictable characters, however charming they may be at times. Mahoney finds her poise and runs the store while Weston discovers his long lost imagination.

The scenes are beautiful as cinematography goes, but after "Lord of the Rings," it seems that every Tom, Dick and Harry suddenly has the cinematic knowledge to throw around phrases like "beautiful cinematography." Worse than that, it seems that more movies than ever rely on beautiful images to carry them through to the bitter end. The visual aspect is the only solid feature Mr. Magorium has going for it. Even the imagery becomes tired as the adults in the audience yearn for just one twist in the unsurprising plot.

After "Stranger than Fiction," I thought writer and director Zach Helm had a bit more to offer. Better luck next time.

If the little ones in your family beg you to take them to this one, tell them to hold out until it comes out on cable.