No one could ever say conjuring up modern-day Christmas movie magic is an easy feat; it’s hard to create something that will become a classic addition to the holiday canon. Still, it thankfully doesn’t stop people from trying. Apple TV+ made their attempt at a festive classic with the 2022 holiday musical, Spirited. With Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell leading the way, it’s another take on the timeless, endlessly adapted Dickens’ tale, A Christmas Carol.
Hopes were high, as high as the budget and a top-tier team assembled of comedy writer and director Sean Anders, songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and the chance for Reynolds to star alongside his comedy hero for the first time. But while Ferrell’s Elf remains a favorite Christmas movie for many, only two years down the line, has Spirited already been forgotten?
The Ebenezer Scrooges That Inspired ‘Spirited’
Re-imagining the Victorian story of A Christmas Carol in movie form isn’t rare; audiences love to lap up a good dose of the main character, Ebenezer Scrooge. 1951’s A Christmas Carol is often regarded as a definitive version, with Entertainment Weekly claiming, “Other Christmas Carols need not apply.” Like Spirited, there are musical adaptations such as 1970’s Scrooge, the all-time classic Muppet Christmas Carol, and Netflix’s Scrooge: A Christmas Carol from 2022 as well.
Spirited wanted to do something a little different with the story, akin to 1988’s Scrooged. Bill Murray’s dry humor shines through that film as the humbug TV Executive Frank Cross, and sharp wit and memorable one-liners mix with the eventual messaging of the film. Murray’s sarcasm certainly aligns with Reynolds’, making Spirited feel like a combination of 1970’s Scrooge and 1988’s Scrooged. The aforementioned films only scratch the surface of the many versions of A Christmas Carol.
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‘Spirited’ Wanted to Give a New Twist to ‘A Christmas Carol’
Spirited wanted to be different from the dozens of other adaptations while retaining a bit of classicalism, and the result is mixed. It’s adventurous, but there’s a great deal to digest from what you see on screen and its overactive plot, which re-writes much of Dickens’ classic tale. It’s a bold choice, making Ebenezer Scrooge the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the film knows it (Jacob Marley tells Scrooge to “stick to the script” when he reveals his identity). Reynolds plays Clint Briggs, a cynical and selfish corporate executive who profits at the expense of others. Each year, the Ghost of Christmas Present (Ferell) and his team select a worthy candidate to redeem, and Briggs is up next.
As Brigg navigates his past, present and future with ther ghosts, he seems like a lost cause who doesn’t believe people can change — he’s unredeemable, just like Ebenezer Scrooge was considered to be. Scrooge has the chance to retire from being the Ghost of Christmas Present and live a human life with the love of Kimberley (Octavia Spencer), but is frightened that he’ll go straight back to his old, mean ways. In the end, Briggs and Scrooge help each other.
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Why Might ‘Spirited’ Have Slipped Through the Net?
All the elements are there for a new festive favorite, but Spirited is trying to do too much at once. It’s a lengthy movie running over two hours with an overload of musical numbers, penned by the Oscar-winning Pesek and Paul, who are responsible for the soundtracks of The Greatest Showman and La La Land. The always self-aware Marley (Patrick Page) even asks if another musical number is necessary.
But nestled within the musical overload are shining gems like “The View,” where Kimberley reflects on her place in the world, and “Good Afternoon,” a comical farce poking fun at Victorian insults. This rousing number has the drive of the street scenes found in the 1970 version, and is wonderfully choreographed with great production design. Anders told The LA Times, “It took a lot of work because it’s so over the top and ridiculous and has so many moving parts, but it’s just so much fun.”
Interestingly, Anders and Morris wrote another contemporary Christmas movie, 2017’s Daddy’s Home 2, which also stars Ferrell, this time with Mark Wahlberg in another story about male relationships. Instead of the straight-up comedy of Daddy’s Home 2, Spirited attempts to be much more poignant. The tone shifts greatly throughout, from moments such as referencing a physical dalliance between the Ghost of Christmas Past (Sunita Mani) and Briggs to Present earnestly singing the serious ballad “Unredeemable.” It’s honestly a little too earnest.
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Does ‘Spirited’ Deserve a Christmas Miracle?
There’s an air of nostalgia during Christmastime, and with TBS and other channels playing all the classics, it’s easy to adopt the attitude of, “They don’t make ’em like they used to.” Making a modern Christmas classic will always be a challenge. Although it didn’t hit the transcendent heights of several other Christmas Carol adaptations, and probably won’t be a film that warrants annual viewings, Spirited is worth a watch for its ambition, even if it fails to reach the lofty goals it sets itself, and for its magical production design. Apple spares no expense.
The lavish, big-budget production values take the viewer on a whirlwind adventure, and there’s great chemistry between the cast. If you have Apple TV+ and you like Christmas, it’s a no-brainer to at least try the film. With the sofa calling during this holiday season, do as a changed Ebenezer would and take a chance on Spirited, not letting it be forgotten. You can watch Spirited through the link below:
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