Making a sequel to one of the most beloved holiday films of all time was always going to be a near-impossible task. To their credit, writers Nick Schenk & Peter Billingsley and director Clay Kaytis find a good "way back in" to the Parker family saga and actually construct a nice framing narrative to end the picture. Unfortunately, everything in between is a straight rehash of jokes and sight gags from the original--rendering "A Christmas Story Christmas" largely hollow outside of wrote nostalgia.
For a very basic overview, this film sees a middle-aged Ralphie (Billingsley) trying to--but not succeeding in--building a writing career. He's down to his last straw before giving up his dream to help support his family--wife Sandy (Erinn Hayes) and children Mark (River Drosche) and Julie (Julianna Layne). But then, Ralph gets a call from his mother (played by Julie Hagerty) relying the sad news that The Old Man has passed--requiring a Christmas visit back to the old stomping grounds. While back in his childhood haunts, Ralphie reconnects with old friends Flick (Scott Schwartz) & Schwartz (RD Robb) and tries to create a magical holiday for his family like his father once did for him.
The death of Darren McGavin's Old Man character as the emotional stimulus behind Ralph's journey is brilliant. Every time that picture on the wall is shown, a flashback is seen, or the maudlin music starts up, real emotion is present. The filmmakers have a keen grasp of what made the original "tick", so to speak.
The framing narrative here is also quite impressive--that being having Ralph essentially become the narrator of the original film. I didn't see that neat trick coming and it made me smile!
Those two aspects alone earn "Christmas Story Christmas" a down-the-middle rating--but it doesn't get a star more. Why? Because there is not one original set piece or joke in the entire runtime. It is, most often, a location-for-location, joke-for-joke remake of the original. There is very little effort or interest--clearly intentional--in unearthing much (if any) new ground here. Another swing-and-miss? The re-cast of Ralphie's mother as a sort of ditzy, out-of-it old woman. Nothing against Hagerty as an actress here--rather her overall character construction resembling none of the heart and humor of Melinda Dillon.
Overall, "A Christmas Story Christmas" ends up being a rather odd experience. At times, you'll feel some real emotion/nostalgia. But for prolonged stretches, you'll also be either bored to tears or shaking your head at the stupidity/crassness/imitative nature of it all.
For a very basic overview, this film sees a middle-aged Ralphie (Billingsley) trying to--but not succeeding in--building a writing career. He's down to his last straw before giving up his dream to help support his family--wife Sandy (Erinn Hayes) and children Mark (River Drosche) and Julie (Julianna Layne). But then, Ralph gets a call from his mother (played by Julie Hagerty) relying the sad news that The Old Man has passed--requiring a Christmas visit back to the old stomping grounds. While back in his childhood haunts, Ralphie reconnects with old friends Flick (Scott Schwartz) & Schwartz (RD Robb) and tries to create a magical holiday for his family like his father once did for him.
The death of Darren McGavin's Old Man character as the emotional stimulus behind Ralph's journey is brilliant. Every time that picture on the wall is shown, a flashback is seen, or the maudlin music starts up, real emotion is present. The filmmakers have a keen grasp of what made the original "tick", so to speak.
The framing narrative here is also quite impressive--that being having Ralph essentially become the narrator of the original film. I didn't see that neat trick coming and it made me smile!
Those two aspects alone earn "Christmas Story Christmas" a down-the-middle rating--but it doesn't get a star more. Why? Because there is not one original set piece or joke in the entire runtime. It is, most often, a location-for-location, joke-for-joke remake of the original. There is very little effort or interest--clearly intentional--in unearthing much (if any) new ground here. Another swing-and-miss? The re-cast of Ralphie's mother as a sort of ditzy, out-of-it old woman. Nothing against Hagerty as an actress here--rather her overall character construction resembling none of the heart and humor of Melinda Dillon.
Overall, "A Christmas Story Christmas" ends up being a rather odd experience. At times, you'll feel some real emotion/nostalgia. But for prolonged stretches, you'll also be either bored to tears or shaking your head at the stupidity/crassness/imitative nature of it all.