It's been a hot minute since I reviewed a film of any kind. I've been looking for an avenue to return to them and, as Christmas is fast approaching, I thought what is a better avenue than reviewing a slew of Christmas films. One a day until Christmas in fact. A tall order, but a challenge that I felt was both achievable and fun. I'm but a day in and I am already somewhat regretting my decision, and that is thanks to 'A Wish for Christmas' (2016). To be fair to the film, it was definitely not made for me and I knew that going in to it. Regardless, it is still a crock of shit. The film follows Sara Thomas (Lacy Chabert) who works for a marketing firm. She is seen as a pushover at work, but when her big Christmas initiative is stolen from her she makes a wish to Father Christmas that she could have more courage. Her wish comes true and, after standing up for herself and telling everyone that the initiative was her idea, she is invited to go with her boss to pitch her idea to a business tycoon. While travelling to her pitch her and her boss start having feelings for eachother as she helps him reconnect with his family and his love for christmas.
As you maybe to tell from the plot synopsis this film is classic christmas schlock. A business woman unhappy in her job, a character who has lost their connection with christmas and a romance built on ones love of the season, it pretty much ticks all of the boxes. It is extremely formulaic and you can tell exactly where the film is going right from the off. Well, that is until the real Father Christmas turns up to grant Sara her wish. Its a scene that sticks out like a sore thumb. It comes out of nowhere and suddenly introduces genuine magic to a film that is mostly grounded in reality. I would be absolute fine with this if it had a genuine effect on the film, and I think that the film attempts to do just that by having a zoom paired with a sound cue whenever Sara uses her new found courage. But it fails miserably. The effect of the wish itself also seems confused. The wish is meant to give Sara courage that she didn't have before, but I think the script writers confused courage with being obnoxious. Sara's new courage sees her imposing herself on strangers, giving advice on complex family issues she has no idea about and cornering people in cars. But, she is the hero so of course these are all seen as positive actions. The whole aspect of the wish seems like it is completely unneeded in the film and the story could have worked just as well without it. It is so unnecessary in fact that I found myself quite often forgetting it was even a plot point, and I got the feeling the script writers felt the same.
Speaking of the script, it is atrocious. Generally crap. It isn't just that the plot of the film is formulaic and bland, but the dialogue within the film is also hilariously bad. No one speaks like a real person in this film, instead speaking like characters from a shitty Hallmark christmas film. Of course that is exactly what they are but that's beside the point. Because of the script I'm willing to forgive the not so great performances. Lacy Chabert is okay as Sara. She is charming and likable enough, but then the script givers her these moments where she is hugely obnoxious. But that's not her fault. Paul Greene is also fine for the most part as Peter Williams, Sara's boss. But he is saddled with a character who is tediously bland and forgettable. Andrea Brooks does an okay job as Molly, Sara's best friend, but again is failed by the script and is written out of the film about as quickly as she is introduced. However, there is an actor who steals the show. A god amongst mortals. This actor's name? Jason McKinnon. He is hamming this performance up to the max and is instantly the best part of the film is soon as he introduced. He is only in the film for about twenty minutes but he makes his mark as the man who steals Sara's idea. He plays it like a supervillain, with the slanted eybrow andshit eating grin almsot an ever present on his face. For a film devoid of fun for the most part he really shines through. But I haven't got to the best part of his character yet, and that's his name. Dirk Tyson. Dirk motherfucking Tyson. It is the perfect name for this character and honestly was the only part of the film to bring a smile to my face.
I think it is pretty clear that this film is not for me, nor was it made with th intention of someone like me in mind. They have their audience and I'm sure that those people will find it at least a little enjoyable.But for me it is definitely a no go. It is super formulaic, predictable and bland.The performances are mostly fine but a hindered massively by a terrible, terrible script. If it wasn't for Dirk Tyson the lord himself, I'm not sure I would have anything positive to say about the film. I can't say i'd recommend it, but it is blissfully short so if you have an hour and twenty five minutes to spare and fancy some christmas crap this might just be for you. As for me, I am one of my 25 christmas film reviews down. They can surely only get better from here, right?