It’s not my fault that I can’t sell a film on “Will Ferrell.” It’s Will Ferrell’s fault. Too many dogs in your manger, pal. However, when Will does contribute to a gem –or something close—now I feel like “The Boy Who Cried Wolf!” But, but, but … Spirited is good! It’s fun! (I shout to an empty room) And it will make you smile; it’s musical version of A Christmas Carol with Ryan Reynolds as Scrooge and Will Ferrell as the Ghost of Christmas Present…
Wait! Come back!
I can only assume nobody but me has read this far. Congratulations! Hey, you win a prize. Hmmm, what do you win? How about a stupid personal fact – did you know that for about two years I wanted to change my name to “Devin?” It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Well if you’ve read this far, I can only imagine you’re actually considering or have already -God forbid- watched this film, and you already know of what I speak … but I’m gonna speak it anyway. The music is not the thing that makes this Christmas Carol unique. Although it’s rare, and the music does punctuate the good time to be had here, this is neither the first nor the last time we’ll be crooning to Scrooge.
This is, however, the first time I can remember that we actually delved into the backstory of one of the non-Marley ghosts … and I don’t mean the backstory that relates to the main character; I mean a genuine, self-contained entirely-unique-and-personal backstory … which is absolutely necessary for the film’s best musical number, “Good Afternoon,” a hilarious song about Dickensian “cussing.”
Clint Briggs (Reynolds) is “UNREDEEMABLE.” It’s stamped on his file at redemption HQ .. or whatever they call the magical place where afterworld figures select and plot a figure to haunt. Oh, and Clint is an excellent candidate; he’s a completely amoral political strategist. He is exactly the kind of lying two-faced asshole that can get millions of people to believe that Hunter Biden’s transgressions somehow match those of the disgraced ex-President Trump (or even Trump’s children for that matter). As the films opens, he is plotting to smear a middle school kid to get his niece elected as class president or whatever. Age is unimportant; a target is a target is a target and they’re all fair game if they run for office, right?
The Ghost of Christmas Present (Ferrell) argues that Clint Briggs can be redeemed, but it isn’t going to be easy what
with people breaking into song every five minutes. I think my favorite part of this relationship is Ryan Reynolds being Ryan Reynolds. He’s neither scared nor intimidated by any of the ghosts. They are simply either playthings or obstacles in the way of his path. He even turns the tables on Present, insisting that the ghost re-examine his own life rather than attacking Briggs. The audience is rewarded for this temerity with a drop dead funny look at 19th Century London.
And then the Ghost of Christmas Present falls for Clint’s assistant, Kimberly (Octavia Spencer), which is weird … but let’s face it, A Christmas Carol may well be a classic, but it lacks romance … which is all anybody wants for Christmas these days.
Spirited is a fun film and almost certainly a re-watch before the holidays end. There is a very good chance it will become a film that Christmas-tradition families pull out every year around this time. I don’t see it being in the upper echelon of holiday re-watches like say, Home Alone, A Christmas Story, or Farrell’s own Elf. But I do see it getting more play than some other modern re-watches like The Santa Clause, The Polar Express, or another Christmas Carol tale like Scrooged. Spirited is my choice for best Christmas of 2022 and maybe one great musical number away from a spot among the best films of the year.
“It ain’t right!” He said with effect
“My words it’s always tryin’ to correct.”
He complained with a stammer
“My t-t-torment is g-g-grammar…
I’m being haunted by the ghost of future perfect!”
Rated PG-13, 127 Minutes
Director: Sean Anders
Writer: Sean Anders, John Morris
Genre: Christmas Classics?
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Anyone willing to give Will Ferrell a chance
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: The people who would never read this far
