A new Christmas classic entered the scene in 2022. Called Spirited, this movie takes its own spin on the classic Charles Dickens novella A Christmas Carol. Will Ferrell is back in the Christmas scene since starting in the 2003 movie Elf, now playing an aging ghost of Christmas Present contemplating retirement while wondering if their hauntings have made any meaningful contributions to the betterment of humanity.
In search of a way to make a real difference in society, the spirits identify the “irredeemable” Clint Briggs, a shameless social media consultant, played by Ryan Reynolds. Christmas Present tries to reform Clint, but in the process they bond, coming to a greater understanding of human nature, what it means to be good, and understanding one’s actions have unintended consequences.
Spirited was released on Apple TV+ directed by Sean Anders, written and produced by Anders and John Morris, and starring Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds, Octavia Spencer, Sunita Mani, Patrick Page, Marlow Barkley, and Tracy Morgan. It received a moderately positive response from critics and audiences alike.
When I sat down to watch Spirited, I wasn’t sold at first. In fact, it took me well over 20 minutes of the movie’s 127-minute run time to get into it. Something jarring to me from the very beginning was the moment the characters broke into song. This movie contains 12 original songs all with large choreographed dance sequences.
Every time a new song came on, I couldn’t help but stop and wonder, “Is this necessary?” Good filmmaking, paired with good acting, can convey the characters’ inner thoughts without even a word of dialogue. These songs felt to me like a student trying to meet a word count, overextending a thought until there was nothing more to say. Yes, I get the idea, you feel this way. While it hammered in the point, it missed a great opportunity to tell real stories and conflict.
Good musical theatre songs progress the story. In Spirited, when it came time for a song, the story slowed to a stop. Not only did it feel like a missed opportunity for something great, but it also bored me, despite the flashy dancing and impressive vocals.
I wondered aloud my reservations as soon as the credits began to roll, to which my brother promptly told me to shut up. To which I say: fair enough. Sometimes it’s enough to simply enjoy the movie and be swept away in the fun.
It is in the Christmas movie tradition to be a musical. And musicals are fun, if not a little silly. (Wait, normal people don’t break out into song and dance at the drop of a hat?) At the end of the day, this is a fun movie to enjoy with the family and I can see it watched and rewatched for years to come.