GET SANTA

UK, 2014, 102 minutes, Colour.
Jim Broadbent, Rafe Spall, Kit Connor, Ewan Bremner, Warwick Davis, Stephen Graham, Joanna Scanlan, Jodie Whitaker, Nonso Anozie.
Directed by Christopher Smith.

It is not often that somebody comes up with an original and contemporary fairytale about Santa Claus. But this is the case here, from the imagination of Christopher Smith who has been more noted for his horror films including Creep, Severance, Triangle and his excursion into the Middle Ages with Black Death.

Jim Broadbent seems entirely suited to be Father Christmas and obviously enjoys himself here, as Santa, as a prisoner, toughing it out with other prisoners, anxious about Christmas not failing. He employs the help of the boy that he remembers from the past, Steve, played by Rafe Spall, getaway driver in robberies, getting out of prison and wanting to see his son, Tom, Kit Connor. His mother, Jodie Whitaker, refuses. He also has to report to his parole officer, played with the touch of vain grimness by Joanna Scanlan (so effective as Dickens’ wife in The Invisible Woman). Ewan Bremner is the caricature policeman.

There are various adventures as father and son find the reindeer in Richmond Park, the leader, Dasher, identifying himself with farts. Then they find the broken sleigh. After visiting Santa in prison, they make an effort, taking Dasher in the truck, its breaking down, trouble with the police, encountering pantomime characters in a small town, drag, getting a lift to Suffolk where they have been told to go.

Santa escapes with a dwarf who proclaims he is not an elf. Eventually, Santa and the non-elf, mother and boyfriend, Steve, Tom, all finish up in a car being pursued by the police – with Santa getting the opportunity to prove that he really is who he is.

1. The title, the variety of meanings? Christmas Day to be a success? Santa and his being arrested, the police?

2. Contemporary fairy story, fantasy? Father Christmas, the sleigh, the reindeers? The accident, Santa needing help? The London locations, homes, the streets, the jail? The country town, the countryside? And the land and workshop of the elves? The musical score?

3. Audience response to Santa, belief or not? Impact of the adults, the children?

4. Steve, in jail, the getaway man, getting out, his Rubik cube? Phoning his wife, wanting to see his son? Wanting to visit? His promises and failing to keep them? His son’s disappointment? The visit with the parole officer, the severity of her attitudes?

5. Father Christmas, Jim Broadbent enjoying himself? Look, the accident, the reindeer and the crash, in the park, the sleigh the trees? In the shed, with Tom, phoning his father, Santa wanting to see Steve, telling him the story about his last Christmas and the gift of the Rubik cube?

6. Steve and his disbelief, Tom and his urging? Finding the deer? Santa and his arrest? Steve and Tom, the truck, the search for the deer?

7. Santa in jail, his manner of talking, people thinking he was mad, later identifying him with a similar-looking criminal, his Santa clothes, changing into prison garb, going to see Barber, Barber talking with Steve on the phone, willing to help? The hair design? Santa and practising tough faces and stances? Steve and Tom visiting, the promise to help?

8. The big prisoner, confronting Santa, wanting him to be part of the Christmas party to help with the kids? Santa telling stories of each of the criminals and their Christmases? His skills in making paper decorations? The discussions with Sally, his not being an elf? The plan for escape, the tunnel, the roof?

9. The characters of the police, the caricatures? The parole officer, coming to the prison? The collaboration, the phone calls, getting in touch with Steve, the threats? The pursuits?

10. Steve, Tom, the van, fighting – and the test, the fights, in the truck, the breakdown, the policeman, – and hitting him, their walking into the town, the pantomime and the drag, disguised, walking out of the town, the Scandinavian who passed them by, picking up and wishing them well?

11. Going into the Suffolk countryside, the tower, the phone call, Steve willing to give up, the discovery of the notice, the last stop before Christmas, the tunnel and father and son falling through to the elves? The characters of the elves, that life, Santa, the sleigh, the new sleigh and its failure, the plan?

12. Finding the sleigh, the deer? Tom’s mother and boyfriend, the boyfriend helping? Santa and the elf, getting out, in the street? Tom, Steve? Everyone together in the car? The police pursuit, Santa and his machine gun – and the reindeer poop pellets?

13. Everybody arriving at the site, the real Father Christmas, his persuading the police and the parole officer to be nice? Taking off – and Christmas saved (even after Jon Snow on Channel 4 announcing that, earlier, Christmas had failed in the Pacific and in Australia)?