Starring: Danny DeVito, Ed Helms, Zac Effron, Taylor Swift, Betty White

The newest movie rendition of a Dr. Seuss story, “The Lorax,” is centered around Ted (Zac Effron), an eighth grader who lives in Thneedville. As a “perfectly plastic place,” Thneedville has no real trees, bushes or flowers. The bushes are inflatable and the trees “run on 96 batteries.” Everyone in Thneedville has a consumer mindset stating, “Why would we want a tree when we can buy the latest model?” Everyone is happy and doesn’t want or need anything else.

The smog and pollution in the city of Thneedville from this lifestyle is so bad that the citizens have to buy fresh air. They do so from the villain, a zillionare named O’Hare. O’Hare has long since been preying on the people of Thneedville who, in his mind, have a short attention span and aren’t smart enough to know the difference. He also gets excited in one scene saying “The new factory would produce more smog and then people will buy more air! Genius!”

One day, Ted learns all about trees from his crush Audrey (Taylor Swift). Audrey exclaims how all she wants is a tree and would probably marry the guy who brought her one on the spot. Ted, love drunk, sets out to find the trees. He finds out from his grandma (Betty White) that he needs to find the Once-ler, an outcast outside of town. Ted learns from the Once-ler that the valley used to be full of trees but the Once-ler had destroyed all of them when pursuing his business producing thneeds. The Onceler had broken his promises to the Lorax (Danny DeVito), the voice of the trees, to not chop down any more trees. Blinded by his greed, this broken promise led to all trees being chopped down. Although remorseful after he realized the trees were all gone, the Once-ler could do nothing to bring them back. The trees could not grow in the “smoggity-smog” and “goopity-goop” that was now everywhere. Years later the Once-ler asks Ted to find a way to bring back the Truffala trees.

There is a good mix of themes guaranteed to entertain most viewers. Of course the movie is made and marketed for children, but the older crowd will enjoy it too. There is some humor, some entertaining musical scenes and the not-so-childish themes that get the audience thinking: Industrialism, sustainability, corporate greed, unethical marketing and consumer ignorance. The movie calls the viewers to take action and practice sustainable ways. It ends on a great Dr. Seuss quote: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

Although you may not be a tree-hugger, the movie is entertaining and might get you thinking about things you can do to make the world a better place.