Spirited (2022)
Directed by: Sean Anders
Starring: Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds, and Octavia Spencer
Rating:
Adapted from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
A musical version of the classic Christmas story by Charles Dickens. A miserly man who treats everyone around him with terrible selfishness finds himself on a fantastical adventure into the three phases of time: past, present, and future, in order to discover how he ended up so miserable and alone.
Laughter is the best medicine, and Spirited delivers one laugh after another. At one point, my husband and I were laughing so hard that we had to pause and rewind the movie because we couldn’t hear what was happening 😂 But I digress, Spirited is a quirky Christmas musical that does not take itself (or the source material) seriously. Drawing inspiration from Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, the movie follows the story of Christmas Present, played by Will Ferrell, and this year’s Scrooge Clint Briggs, played by Ryan Reynolds. I love how the writers took the original story and spun into into an annual event. Past, Present, Yet-to-Come, and a whole host of spirits work through the entire year learning about their target’s life, how their actions affect the world, and what changing their life could mean for the better good. Briggs is chosen, even though he is considered an unredeemable. Present is determined to change Briggs future, and it will be the biggest task he’s ever undertaken.
First, let me just say this, if you are looking for a serious Christmas movie, this isn’t it. This will make you laugh until you cry and leave you with the warm and fuzzies by the end. I personally enjoyed it. Ferrell and Reynolds are a dynamic comedic duo. They play off each other so well, making the film that much more enjoyable. The massively talented Octavia Spencer fits in nicely, playing Briggs’s assistant. Spencer is one of my favorite actresses. I have yet to come across one of her roles that I haven’t enjoyed.
The music and dance numbers take center stage. There are more musical numbers than I expected which left me pleasantly surprised. I love musicals 😀 There are also several cameos, like Dame Judi Dench, and easter eggs from Ferrell’s and Reynolds’s previous movies. I enjoyed how the creative team pulled these things into the movie and seamlessly integrated them.
Overall, I enjoyed Spirited. It’s a fun watch and will make a great addition to our family’s annual Christmas movie binge (though little man will not be watching it for a few years 😅). The twist ending, which I’ll admit I kinda saw coming, was perfection. I’d like to think Dickens himself would enjoy this spin on his play. Highly recommend!
I adored this movie! I did NOT see the twist ending, or maybe just the way they did it shocked me. I am also enjoying going around saying Good Afternoon to people without them knowing that I’m really saying what the meaning was in the movie, lol. Great review!
Lisa Mandina (Lisa Loves Literature) recently posted…Blog Tour: One Night With Her Viking Warrior by Sarah Rodi
It was such a cute movie. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I didn’t see the ending coming either. 😭