A Christmas Story Christmas (2022)

 A Christmas Story Christmas (2022)

 7/10

 

Starring

Peter Billingsley

Erinn Hayes

Scott Schwartz

R. D. Robb

 

Directed by Clay Kaytis

 

I grew up like numerous people seeing A Christmas Story, I did not at any point as a child or seeing it again as an adult liked the film. I felt it was overrated, but this sequel to me just hit the spot. I think what made it more interesting was being able to link moments in the movie to times in the original. And seeing that a lot of the old crew reprise their roles.

I liked the movie’s idea of how this is what led to the movie A Christmas Story. And how the movie’s message of how easy things always are, when you are not the one in charge of making sure it goes smoothly, just rings numerous bells in one’s life.

If you ever wanted to see how the lives of many of the old casts ended up and how some others were able to settle their past conflicts, this movie does that.

The plot is again focused on Ralph and a Christmas dream. Ralph wanted to be a writer and he has completed his first book, which was not actually getting the publishing houses running to be the first one to develop it into print. But Ralph was not one to be discouraged he had it all planned he will work on his book, use the savings he and his wife had to care for the family while waiting for the check to come in when his book gets picked up by a publishing company.

It was Christmas time, and he did not have to worry, ever since starting his own family the Christmas tradition has been his Old Man and his mum travel to his home in Chicago. The Old Man has always done this and makes every Christmas since the tradition started a memorable one.

When it was time for his parents to arrive, the call was not a good one. His mum called to inform him that his father (the Old Man) has passed. Ralph now must go to Indiana (his hometown where the movie A Christmas Story takes place) with his family to be with his mum and now has to be the one to plan a memorable Christmas, something his father was able to do (according to him) effortlessly.

In the end, like you will expect from a good Christmas movie, everything worked out for Ralph and his family. There was no magic in the end, just the normal Christmas miracle of everyone in the family either planning or doing what they can to make sure the ones they love had a memorable Christmas and something they wanted was wating under the tree.

The movie was released on HBO Max. I don’t think this will get a theatrical run, but I think for the way it was done, it could do well.