A musical version of Charles Dickens’s story of a miserly misanthrope who is taken on a magical journey.
Chuck says:
It would seem foolhardy to make another version of Charles Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol” what with the numerous other adaptations that have been produced. Yet with “Spirited,” filmmaker Sean Anders and actor Will Ferrell have come up with a fun new musical take on the Christmas chestnut, bringing a modern sensibility and a couple of clever twists to the tale that make it just fresh enough to be worth a look. Though too long and featuring two leads that couldn’t carry a tune if it had a handle on it, the film is smart enough to acknowledge its shortcomings, its self-reflective approach helping to smooth over its obvious flaws.
Seems as though Ebenezer Scrooge was not the only lost soul that was saved by the ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Future. They are but three of many supernatural beings who work year-round choosing one individual they think can do the greatest amount of good if reformed. An army of spirits study the subject’s life in minute detail and then embark on a production that would be the envy of any Hollywood studio in order to achieve their goal. Think of this as a supernatural firm intent on shaping behavior.
Present (Ferrell) decides the object of their redemptive efforts should be Clint Briggs (Ryan Reynolds), a mercenary public relations man who uses disinformation to sow public dissent in the interest of his clients. That he happens to ignore his orphaned niece doesn’t help matters either. This is a noble choice, but Present meets some resistance from his colleagues when they learn Briggs has been labeled “unredeemable,” something that would dissuade most other spirits. This just makes him all the more determined to save Briggs.
The reason behind Present’s single-minded pursuit proves to be one of the film’s more clever turns. Equally inspired is when Briggs turns the tables on Present, forcing him to question his purpose in (after)-life, which makes sense as the ad man knows exactly what the ghost is up to, being a master manipulator as well.
Most of the songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (“Dear Evan Hanson”) run the gamut from passable to forgettable though “Good Afternoon” proves to be a rousing number, a gleefully insulting song the cast attacks with abandon, the lyrics clever, the antics it produces funny, the energy palpable. Had the other songs been as inspired as this, “Spirited” would have been one for the ages.
The musical approach certainly isn’t helped with the casting of Ferrell and Reynolds, both non-singers, in the leads. Though it isn’t a debacle on the scale of the Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood teaming in “Paint Your Wagon,” there are times when you can’t help but wonder if Pasek and Paul’s work would have been better received if delivered by more capable warblers.
As with all other musicals, “Spirited” is a bloated affair, containing at least two numbers that could have been easily cut. Still, the production design is impressive, the various worlds the spirits move through rendered with such detail they’re begging to be analyzed. The performances from the two leads are nothing if not energetic, the actors daring the viewer not to like them, while the presence of Octavia Spencer is always a plus, here offering shades to the character of Briggs’ assistant lesser performers might have missed. Only time will tell if “Spirited” will garner enough repeat annual viewers to be considered a new holiday classic, but there’s no questioning the film’s sense of goodwill, making it a worthy, if at times off-key, new “Carol.”
3 Stars
Pam says:
How many iterations of “A Christmas Carol” can there be? Apparently there’s no limit as we see with this novel pastiche! Will Ferrell is our Ghost of Christmas Present who has an incredibly intriguing backstory that is revealed further into the film. Setting his sights on the unredeemable soul of Clint Briggs (Ryan Reynolds), Present is determined to save him. Witnessing Briggs’ loathsome behavior creates a few humorous situations, but it is the chemistry between Ferrell and Reynolds that is at once engagingly comical.
Keeping in mind that this is a musical, our leads along with Octavia Spencer give it their best shot, but alas, they are not singers. We forgive them, though, as the background singers and dancers more than make up for their shortcomings. While we all know the story, somehow co-writers Sean Anders and John Morris find a way to give us a few unexpected and welcoming twists and turns.
And by the end, I was dancing along with everyone on the screen, feeling happy and completely satisfied with Apple TV’s “Spirited.”
Good Afternoon to you all!
3 Stars
