High Spirits

Before I get on with the business of listing my Top 10 Movies of 2022 (at least, that I've seen so far), I have to backtrack and catch up with a couple of "late entries" that I only watched in the last couple of weeks. And I'll start with a movie with an "expiration date" that's already gone by, because it's a holiday movie.

Spirited dropped on Apple TV+ early in December. It's possibly the 500th "modern take" on A Christmas Carol and Ebenezer Scrooge. It's distinguished somewhat by being a musical take on the tale (though it's not even the first run at that). Though, as they say: "but wait, there's more."

The film stars Will Ferrell (who became a Christmas icon with Elf) and Ryan Reynolds (whose winning charisma has weathered movies both good and bad). It also features Octavia Spencer (and yes, she sings), and a handful of entertaining cameo appearances best not spoiled.

But one of the things I found most entertaining about the movie is how these actors are all used. This is not Will Ferrell in "dumb man child" mode -- and both he and the movie are better for it. I've always disliked those kinds of Ferrell performances. (Indeed, I watched Elf for the very first time this holiday season, and it left me cold. But that's subject for perhaps another review.) Here, as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Ferrell behaves within the bounds of relative normalcy (for a musical comedy), and actually shoulders the movie's most dramatic and emotional moments.

Ryan Reynolds, meanwhile, twists his charm into being the film's cartoonishly heartless Scrooge character. You'll like him and have fun hating him because he's Ryan Reynolds, a calculation that works equally well.

The movie is more clever than I expected for a Scrooge repackaging, with more intricate plotting, fun fourth wall breaking, and irreverence. But it also brings in, at times, just the right amount of sentimentality for a Christmas movie. This is really the strike zone that fans of Scrooged have long felt that movie hits, starting Spirited on the road to possibly becoming a more enduring holiday classic. (But... probably not, since you can only watch it on Apple TV+.)

And the songs are great. I would expect no less, given who is writing them: the team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who broke out with Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway before their songs became the best things about not-quite-as-good movies like The Greatest Showman and La La Land. They once again bring their A game here; even the "cut song" that plays over the end credits is a brain-sticking winner.

It's possible that Spirited just hit me in an especially un-Grinch-like moment of the holiday season. But in any case, it hit me. I'd give it at least a B+. I'd certainly give it a recommendation too, except that the window for holiday movie recommendations has probably closed. Next December, then, maybe?