Mr. Magorium is 243 years old, and may have survived so long by being incapable of boredom. Life for him is a daily adventure, which he shares with the children who pack into his magical toy store. If the movies consist of millions and millions of rooms, some only in our minds, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium is one of the most delightful.

It is jammed with toys that, in some cases, seem to be alive, and in most cases seem to be real toys, not the extrusions of market research.

The emporium, a quaint old store squeezed by modern monoliths, has been run since time immemorial by Edward Magorium, played by Dustin Hoffman as a daffy old luv with boundless optimism, even about his upcoming death. He dearly hopes that young employee Molly Mahoney (Natalie Portman) will succeed him.

Molly is not sure she is ready, and her lack of self-confidence provides the plot's necessary conflict. She was once a piano prodigy, but her on-stage failure of nerve has spread into other areas of her life, and it is Edward's mission to correct that. Looking on (and narrating) is young Eric (Zach Mills), who seems to live at the store.

One dark day, accountant Henry Weston (Jason Bateman) shows up, sent to look into the emporium's books -- which are about two centuries behind.

Financial ruin threatens the emporium, and even if it survives, will Molly want to take over? Because no one else will do, you see. Molly has the same kind of magical spark that has let Edward keep things humming along.

But while all of this may sound like a wonderful family movie, the plot is forever being upstaged by the emporium. We want to stop worrying about Molly's self-esteem and just play with neat stuff. And is a happy ending ever in doubt?

Edward Magorium is one of Hoffman's nicest characters -- matter-of-fact about his great age, his astonishing store and his decision to move on to the next life. Molly doesn't think it's that simple, and Portman has the thankless task of holding out against his man's certainty.

The suspense, such as it is, will possibly enthrall kids up to a certain age, but once adults get over the visual delights of the emporium, they'll be glad the proceedings last only 93 minutes.

This isn't quite the over-the-top fantasy you'd like it to be, but it's charming enough, and, probably, the younger you are, the more charming.

By Roger Ebert / Universal Press Syndicate