*** Caution. Spoilers ahead ***
If you weren’t already in the holiday spirit, Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds are gifting you with glee – I mean, it even says so in the title of their new movie. Spirited is a new take on a classic tale, and who better to deliver the newly-wrapped longstanding Christmas message than two of comedy’s biggest stars.
The musical comedy puts an updated spin on Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. While sticking to the overall formula: an “unredeemable” character is met by three ghosts (Past, Present, Future) working to change said character’s ways, Spirited adds some goofy fun to the mix and a few revisions to give the film a modern and unique take.
Co-written by John Morris and Sean Anders (Daddy’s Home), the latter who directed Spirited, imagine a world apart from Scrooged. In this world, the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and “Yet to Come” head an annual operation where a new Ebenezer Scrooge is chosen each year to be haunted by the (somewhat) usual suspects and, in the end, redeemed.
However, this year the team gets a little sidelined when the Ghost of Christmas Present (Ferrell) usurps his boss’s (Patrick Page) call and chooses Clint Briggs (Reynolds) as their subject. Briggs, a master at manipulation in the social media era, is considered “unredeemable,” prompting Present to attempt an unlikely save. Through a series of events highlighting their altruistic behavior, Briggs’s niece Wren (Marlow Barkley) and assistant Kimberly (Octavia Spencer) end up showcasing just how despicable Briggs actually is. But don’t worry. It’s Ryan Reynolds. It’s near impossible for the loveable Deadpool star to come across as anything other than charming, especially in a musical comedy about Christmas.
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land) are behind the songs, giving Spirited a big Broadway feel. However, part of the movie’s charm is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. The larger-than-life numbers and behind-the-scenes of A Christmas Carol slant do an excellent job of poking fun at big Hollywood productions, reminding audiences that this film has a solid sense of humor.
The real twist here, apart from Past’s (Sunita Mani) infatuation with Briggs and Yet to Come’s (Tracy Morgan) outspoken personal feelings, is that the story’s focus is actually on the Ghost of Christmas Present. Where did he come from? How did he get here? What does he really want? Is Past guiding Briggs? Or is Briggs guiding Past? All of that plays out in musical numbers and sweet storylines, reinforcing that the true spirit of Christmas lies in laughter, forgiveness, and love.
Spirited runs just over two hours, and while it may seem long to some, it’s a great movie (with a PG-13 rating) that’ll usher in some good holiday family fun. There are a few (not terribly inappropriate) jokes for the adults and just enough music and comedy for the kids. Both will enjoy what’s at its heart – a tale of friendship, love, taking chances, and the meaning of Christmas.
Spirited is available to stream on Apple TV+.
