Jingle All the Way

Dir: Brian Levant

1996

**

Jingle All the Way is a fairly awful film but also quite refreshing in many respects. It's not funny and has an awful script, the characters are mainly hateful and the acting abysmal. However, it never once tries to pretend that Christmas isn't about anything other than greed. At last. You can work your behind off all year long trying to provide for your family but unless you deliver that special Christmas present to your greedy little offspring you are nothing. Christmas is about keeping the ones who judge you the most happy. The commercialism of Christmas in all its deprived glory. Of course in many respects the film is also a product of a commercialized Christmas and couldn't care less. I don't like this about it but at least it doesn't try to be anything other than it is. Nothing is justified, there is no 'spirit of Christmas' message, the spoiled brat gets what he wants, and the hard working father is still without respect. That is why the film was ultimately rejected. That and the fact that Arnold Schwarzenegger is once again miscast and Sinbad still isn't funny. It's not a very good film, I could still sit and watch it though for some reason. I suppose it's the right kind of crap Christmas film, if there is such a thing?