A CHRISTMAS STORY CHRISTMAS movie review

A CHRISTMAS STORY CHRISTMAS is directed by Clay Kaytis. The film stars Peter Billingsley, Ian Petrella, Scott Schwartz, RD Robb, Zack Ward, Yano Anaya, Erinn Hayes, River Drosche, Julianna Layne, and Julie Hagerty.

It’s been 33 years since that Christmas when Ralphie Parker got a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas; the greatest holiday gift he’d ever receive. In 1973, Ralphie is a struggling writer in the Chicagoland area with a wife and kids, trying to get his science fiction stories published. When Ralphie gets a phone call that his father has passed away, he and the clan hit the road for Hohman, Indiana, to his mother and childhood home, where our hero reunites with old friends, though the trip to Hohman isn’t exactly as welcoming to the kids. Ralphie finds himself facing many struggles, including putting together Christmas for his family, writing his father’s obituary, and trying to get his work published so he can better support his loved ones.

There have been many adaptations of the writings of Jean Shepherd and the misadventures of the Parker Family, some of which even predate A CHRISTMAS STORY. That 1983 Christmas classic was followed up by a widely-ignored 1990s sequel called MY SUMMER STORY (AKA IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY), and a much-maligned direct-to-video sequel simply entitled A CHRISTMAS STORY 2. With the announcement of A CHRISTMAS STORY CHRISTMAS, another sequel, I was understandably skeptical for a number of reasons, not the least of which being the deaths of Jean Shepherd (narrator/writer of the original film), Bob Clark (director of the original film), and Darren McGavin (The Old Man from the first movie), as well as Melinda Dillon’s role being recast due to her retirement from acting. A CHRISTMAS STORY is a perennial classic, but the “franchise” (if you can call it that) has a hit-and-miss reputation.

That said, I was at least somewhat optimistic upon hearing much of the original cast would be reprising their roles and the film would be a loving tribute to those who have passed on. Getting Peter Billingsley to reprise his role as Ralphie alone would certainly be grounds for celebration. After having sat down to give it a viewing, how does it fare? While not all of the jokes and subplots stick, A CHRISTMAS STORY CHRISTMAS is endearing, dramatic, and above all, entertaining. It feels genuine and like the logical continuation to the original film, and is easily the best filmed “Parker Family” story after the 1983 holiday classic.

Production values certainly deserve a shout out. I was certainly skeptical upon hearing that the movie would be filmed in Hungary and Bulgaria, but the production crew did a great job recreating the Hohman setting and Cleveland St. of the original film, as it was meant to appear three decades following the setting of the original film. The cars and other environments, from taverns to department stores, all look spectacular. A CHRISTMAS STORY CHRISTMAS looks fantastic, and very much like a part of the same universe of the late 30s/early 40s setting of the original movie.

The cast is fantastic, with Ralphie Parker having gone from big-eyed kid fancying a BB gun to a struggling writer who wants his piece of success and to help his family. This is the logical progression for this character, with Billingsley giving a convincing performance all around. Seeing his reunions with childhood friends Flick and Schwartz remains entertaining, with many scenes that hearken back to the original film but don’t blatantly rip it off either. Also worth mentioning is the actress with the most daunting task, Julie Hagerty, who replaces Melinda Dillon, but she does a surprisingly good job. Other characters appearing in the film include Ralphie’s kids, bullies, and even a child of the Bumpus Family (remember the next door neighbors with all the hounds)?

A CHRISTMAS STORY CHRISTMAS succeeds by having a heart. Never does this feel like the blatant cash-in sequel I feared it would be. These actors and actresses get these characters, and the screenplay runs the gamut from some hilarious moments as well as heartwarming ones. Darren McGavin is certainly missed (he passed away in 2006, and would’ve been in his 90s if he was still alive) but the movie does feel like a loving tribute at times. That the cast and crew were able to create something this solid despite Jean Shepherd’s passing is truly remarkable. It’s a legacy sequel done right.

A handful of elements in the film, however, don’t work. Members of the Parker Family get injured and the process feels relatively uncreative and repetitive. A Bumpus Family child is a member of the cast, but doesn’t really get much to do (this is the Parker Family’s story, but it does make audiences wonder if we needed this character). Similarly, there’s an over-the-top sequence of the family trying to avoid/apparently hating carolers. This sequence makes little sense and the dislike seems to be largely unjustified, making this one of the few sequences that feels unnecessary in an over-the-top fashion. At times the film is also frustratingly predictable. Luckily, the good outweighs the bad and moments that fall short are fairly rare.

A CHRISTMAS STORY CHRISTMAS isn’t a cash-in for the holidays. It’s surprisingly entertaining for what it is, with the hits outweighing the misses. Don’t be fooled; it’s a fantastic film that’s likely better than you’re expecting, paying homage while moving this story forward in a loving and believable fashion. Highly recommended!