This year’s Dickens reimagining may have not been asked for, it may not have been necessary, but it was indeed fun.
Reynolds and Ferrell foil each other seamlessly in every scene. Reynolds plays his type, the witty and incessantly confident jerk that Ferrell’s good-guy character, dressed this year as the Ghost of Christmas Present, has to try and redeem. The conflict of the story is the same as in Dickens’ original, however there are lots of fun twists in the perspectives that come with following the titular spirits.
A lot of people have a problem with Reynolds playing Reynolds in EVERYTHING he does, especially after the monumental success of him being him in Deadpool (2016). However, I found it immensely enjoyable in this film. The writing is perfectly crafted, which should come as no surprise, given that the writing team on this film gave us such comedic successes as We’re the Millers and Daddy’s Home. And the direction of Sean Anders is often unnoticed, but perfectly executed for comedy and drama simultaneously.
The Apple TV effect is seen here. You can see the high budget, quality production behind each and every scene. Each set piece feels intentional, and each song has brilliant choreography and lighting that makes the whole movie feel of a higher quality.
Speaking of songs, Will Ferrell will always surprise me when he sings. It feels like he shouldn’t be that talented, but he can absolutely carry his weight in the songs. Reynolds and Spencer both take leads in songs as well, but Ferrell feels the most authentically talented in this facet.
I am going to keep this review spoiler free, but it is definitely a great film. The music is fun, the comedy genuinely made me laugh out loud, and the story was intriguing, even though it is a modern retelling of the Scrooge story. The actors were all clearly having fun, and there were moments of true sadness; the “kickers” as Ferrell’s character would call them, did indeed kick.
Though it might not be the most original concept, Spirited is a great Christmas movie. I wouldn’t go so far to say “instant classic” but it is indeed nearing that mark. I genuinely enjoyed every moment of the film, even the seemingly silly and unnecessary song “Good Afternoon”.
Have a great week, and let me know what you think! If you want to suggest a movie for me to review, or a topic you want to hear my take on, drop a comment down below!