When I heard that they were making a sequel to A Christmas Story, I was concerned. It seems- in this era of filmmaking- that the dreaded remake leaves no classic film safe. I was worried that this would fall into the same sort of issues that plagued movies like Disney’s Pinocchio and Firestarter. Even Christmas wasn’t safe- we got Home Sweet Home Alone just last year. However, I decided to give A Christmas Story Christmas a fair shot, and boy was it a welcome surprise just in time for the holiday season.
The film follows Ralphie, now grown up and with his own family living in Chicago, struggling to make it as a writer, with a manuscript for a Fantasy novel the size of War and Peace in tow. Ralphie and his family suddenly hear from his mother that his dad, the man responsible for what Ralphie describes as “The Gold Standard” of Christmas, had passed away. Now Ralphie must travel to his childhood home on Cleveland Street and deliver to his family the amazing Christmas that his father was always responsible for.
In its entirety, this movie relies heavily on Ralphie, and his actor Peter Billingsley, returning to the role that made him famous nearly 40 years later. Between the classic voice overs that are scattered heavily throughout the film, the clear focus that this is his-and by extension his family’s- story means that he had to do a ton of heavy lifting, but he completely succeeds. He makes this movie more charming than it ought to be, and I love it. Complementing Ralphie are tons of returning characters and actors from the original film, including Ian Patrella as Randy, Scott Schwartz as Flick, R.D. Robb as Schwartz, Zack Ward as Scut Farkus and Yano Anaya as Grover Dill. I really appreciated this touch we don’t often see in films like this, and the return of these actors gives a nostalgic feeling that is hard to replicate otherwise. The acting was mostly good throughout the film, however there were some over-exaggerated moments that felt unnecessary and could have saved this movie some runtime.
In addition, this film delivers on some really great moments throughout the film. We get to see all the trials and tribulations that the family goes through, but it never gives off that cheesy, over the top nonsense feeling that some other movies do. There is no one in any real danger, no fear of the family separating, and no real stakes other than a man trying to deliver a good Christmas to his family, yet the viewer is able to root for the main characters easily and invest in the story quickly. It also helps that there are truly heartwarming scenes throughout the film coupled with some great comedic moments that kept me invested very easily. However, I will say that there were also scenes that were largely unnecessary, and some scenes, like the imaginary flashbacks/fantasy stuff and the caroler’s scenes, felt cheesy and didn’t fit with the rest of the film.
This movie’s lesson is that oftentimes, the things that make the holiday season great are not what we set out for, but rather what we make it, and the people that get us there along the way. Were there things this movie failed in its attempt to accomplish? Of course. I also wouldn’t say it transcended the holiday season to make it a year-round watch. However, what really surprised me is how well the filmmakers captured the essence of gratitude, Christmas spirit, and the love and memories forged in family near and far that really make Christmas, and A Christmas Story Christmas, special.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a film to break you out of the Christmas slump that plagues most of us when you’re rewatching the same few movies over and over again, give this one a try. You may just be surprised.
