PLOT: In the musical adaptation of A Christmas Carol, the Ghost of Christmas Present attempts to bring a bit of holiday cheer to a ruthless fellow named Clint Briggs.
REVIEW: The world is a crazy place right now. Why not just tune into a magical Christmas musical with stars of stage and screen delighting in song after song? Mainly when those stars include Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds, and Octavia Spenser. Wait, what? Yes, that was my reaction to a holiday musical featuring those three singing and dancing. While Mr. Reynolds occasionally lends his singing voice in other parts of the world to television shows and such, and Mr. Ferrell loves to sing in general, it wasn’t something I expected to see. And here we are, with the comedic movie musical Sainted where they sing and dance. A whole lot.
Sainted is a modern telling of A Christmas Carol, but with a huge twist. In this tale, we find that the ghosts visiting the holiday-hating victim is an organization that attempts to redeem those who have a terrible case of the BAH HUMBUGS. When the Ghost of Christmas Present (Ferrell) discovers a powerful man named Clint Briggs (Reynolds) who is considered “unredeemable,” he makes it his mission to attempt to change him. Can the ghosts of Christmas Past (Sunita Mani), Present, and Future (Tracy Morgan) save this cheerless fellow from his lack of holiday spirit? You’ll have to tune in on Friday when this is released.
Truthfully, I’m not always a sucker for holiday musicals. Aside from the joy of a flick like the excellent Christmas zombie musical Anna and the Apocalypse, feel-good family flicks don’t always light my fire. Yet, as this particular tale progressed and Reynolds and Ferrell took the stage together, I found the charm. Yes, ultimately, this one won me over. The film, written and directed by Sean Anders – co-written by John Morris – manages to create a sense of sweetness that isn’t overtly sappy. It’s lighthearted and cute, but it offers a nice story and a message of goodwill that is never out of style.
One of the most pleasant surprises here is that Ferrell, Spencer, and Reynolds can hold their own nicely in a musical. It’s impossible not to smile when Octavia brings such warmth to a character questioning working for Reynolds. My favorite songs featured in the film usually involved her. As well, Ferrell and Reynolds bring energy and enthusiasm to their work. While I wasn’t surprised at how well Reynolds carried a tune and put on his dancing shoes, Ferrell shined every time he took to singing. It’s nice to see that level of comedic talent get the chance to try something new, and they certainly can handle the material.
The film also features terrific performances from Patrick Page as Marley, as well as solid work from Marlow Barkley, Aimee Carrero, and Andrea Anders. And then there is Joe Tippett. Mr. Tippett is terrific here, as he was in the recent Mr. Harrigan’s Phone and Mare of Easttown. Yes, the story suffers a bit with saccharine sweet moments, but ultimately it works. The audience at the press screening I attended appeared to enjoy the experience. And frankly, it is pretty impressive how well-directed the film is. Once you walk away from it, you may find yourself humming along to a tune or two. I know I did.
Spirited is a goofball comedy that warms the heart. The cast is game for the experience, and Ferrell, Spencer, and Reynolds bring it to life when they get all song and dance. The background dancers and singers look like they’re having a blast, and their fun is sometimes infectious. It’s nice to tune out to the insanity around us and invest time in something full of cheer and wonder. This holiday musical will likely give you all something to watch with the family as we come to our final days of 2022. Spirited will be available on Apple TV, and you’ll probably, at the very least, want to see what kind of singing chops these fine folk have.
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