Sometimes, films are unjustly judged. Other times, popular opinion needs to be challenged. Either way, our review of Jingle All the Way will almost definitely be Unpopularity Content.
Among the many Christmas comedies of the ’90s, one is mentioned more often than most. Jingle All the Way has become a festive classic owing in large part to it making an entire generation of children long for a toy that doesn’t actually exist. However, critics largely dismissed the film at the time of its release, so its reputation with audiences hardly matches up to its critical reception.
The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Howard Langston, a workaholic salesman who has neglected to purchase his son Jamie’s (Jake Lloyd) dream Christmas toy, a Turbo Man action figure. He soon finds himself hunting for the sold-out toy on Christmas Eve, competing with rival father Myron (Sinbad) in an attempt to make their children’s Christmas wishes come true. Rita Wilson appears as Howard’s wife Liz, Phil Hartman features as his obnoxious neighbor, and Robert Conrad and Jim Belushi also feature.
Jingle All the Way is essentially built around the classic dysfunctional festive family premise. A neglectful father attempts to make up for his shortcomings on Christmas, leading to the inclusion of a number of classic festive tropes. It’s hardly rocket science to decipher why the film remains a popular choice even decades after release, but is it actually any good?
Jingle All The Way Offers Plenty Of Mindless Festive Laughs
One thing that Jingle All the Way does well is comedy. It uses various approaches to elicit laughs, from Arnie’s physical comedy to Sinbad’s fast-talking nonsensical patter, to Phil Hartman’s wheedling lech getting what he deserves. However, its comedy masks a shaky premise and a poorly-written script, as the film is practically filled with glaring plot holes.
The number of inconsistencies and logic-defying plot devices is genuinely staggering. This means that Jingle All the Way gets as many laughs for being ridiculous as it does for genuine comedy. Even so, Schwarzenegger and Sinbad share a tense comedic chemistry that is undeniable, and the film’s stellar supporting cast help hold things together. It’s a film with charm, even if it is utterly ludicrous.
From a critical standpoint, Jingle All the Way‘s popularity is unearned. It’s a narrative mess about an unsympathetic protagonist that also seems somewhat conceptually flawed. In spite of that, it offers a rumination on festive commercialism, all while serving up an array of comedic set pieces that make it a Christmas classic.
Rating: 55%
Summary: Jingle All the Way‘s inconsistent tone and narrative incompetence is mostly masked by comedic set pieces and Christmas sparkle.
Highlight: The scene in which Schwarzenegger flattens a reindeer with a single punch simply doesn’t get enough press.
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