BEST. CHRISTMAS, EVER!
US, 2023, 82 minutes, Colour.
Heather Graham, Brandy Norwood, Jason Biggs, Matt Cedeno, Wyatt Hunt, Abby Villasmil, Madison Skye Validum.
Directed by Mary Lambert.
There are so many, many Christmas shows that are released every year, especially on streaming services.
Perhaps the cast will attract an audience, veteran Heather Graham (actually 50-51 at the time of filming which stretches credibility somewhat), and the popular Jason Biggs from the American Pie films. Brandy Norwood is a popular singing artist. And the direction is by veteran Mary Lambert, almost 50 years of film and television, making a mark in the 1980s with her version of Stephen King’s Pet Sematery (and filming a sequel).
But, having a look at the comments on the IMDb, it is a litany of derogatory mocking and condemnation. But…, This is a Christmas film.
What makes it different is that for the children generation, it raises a question of whether Santa Claus is real. And, for the adult generation, there has to be a willing suspension of disbelief that the perfect family exists and that a perfect happy Christmas family story is possible. (In the film, yes, in real life, highly doubtful.)
Brandy Norwood’s Jackie sends out a magazine Christmas card every year with photos of the achievement of the family. Her friend from college days, Charlotte, Heather Graham, resents these cards. Jackie has the perfect marriage, the most precociously intelligent daughter, already a Harvard student with expertise knowledge of finance (though conducting her research as to the existence of Santa Claus). It looks as though Jackie can do everything, en aviation company at a profit, construct a hot air balloon… And her husband, Valentino, Matt Part Cedeno, seems perfect in every way.
By contrast, Charlotte has not achieved her ambitions, has a sense of disappointment, does love her husband, and her two children, one of whom is always accompanied by a cartoon -looking toy, a monkey who gives him advice. Some of the advice the monkey gives is that the son insert Jackie’s address into the GPS – and, a surprise arrival, plenty of jealous activity on Charlotte’s part, Ron being nice, happy memories of his past dating and playing music with Jackie. And the children get on very well.
All kinds of ups and downs, but to checking on Santa, all kinds of accidents, all kinds of reconciliations, a touch of sadness with the death of Jackie and Valentino’s son, but a Christmas pageant, the hot air balloon is the star of Bethlehem, and, all things, Charlotte dressed as Santa riding in his sleigh, including the Gospel story, but a transition to popular singing with Mary and the angels swinging along to the melody.
The last screenplay by writer-director, Charles Shyer, Baby Boom, Father of the Bride.
It is all very cheerful – but, apparently too impossible and too cheerful for many of the bloggers.
