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With the year drawing to a close in less than two months, many Christmas films like A Christmas Story Christmas have already premiered. The rather awkwardly-named sequel to one of the most-watched Christmas films of all time, A Christmas Story, premiered on November 17, 2022, on HBO Max, almost as a tribute to the earlier film's unusual rise to stardom after being a near-flop at the box office.
This new film, which is somehow a little hard to pronounce, is a direct sequel to the classic film, consisting of (nearly) the same characters and a setting that is made explicitly to create a nostalgia that we identify with Christmas.
Taking place in 1973, A Christmas Story Christmas is set over thirty years after the events of the first one and follows an adult Peter Billingsley, who reprises his role as the childish Ralphie Parker, except this time, he is the father.
With a rich history like this and plenty of nostalgic moments, A Christmas Story Christmas is hard to dislike. If not a perfect film, it is a delightful watch all the same. Read on for a detailed review of the new Christmas film.
Disclaimer: The thoughts reflected in this article are purely those of the author.
A Christmas Story Christmas review: A sincere throwback to the good old days
Few would fail to be swayed by the eternal charm of the Christmas movie that was a perennial part of the cable TV days every holiday season. A Christmas Story is one film that most people from the 1990s identify with. This is well-acknowledged by Clay Kaytis in the new film. The result- a lot of throwbacks, familiar faces, and a sincere film that doesn't try too much.
Opening with Ralphie Parker's life 33 years into the future, it depicts the now grown-up Peter Billingsley living his life as a novelist with his wife Sandy (Erinn Hayes) and young kids Mark (River Drosche) and Julie (Julianna Layne). In the first few minutes of the film, it almost feels like A Christmas Story Christmas will be set in a completely different setting.
But a piece of sad news from his mother (now played by Julie Hagerty, one of the few cast changes) brings him right back to the familiar hometown in Indiana, kickstarting another adventure for a lifetime. The film is not one huge crisis or storyline, rather it is an accumulation of many events, meetings with many faces, and an overall dive into the spirit of the holidays, resembling the original film in almost all ways.
For one, the format of the sequel is nearly the same as that of the original. It also consists of so many familiar faces and flashbacks that it almost feels like an immersive universe. Schwartz (RD Robb), Flick (Scott Schwartz), Scut Farcus (Zack Ward), and Randy (Ian Patrella), all return to form a compelling cast that also feels like a Christmas reunion.
The story is simple but is interwoven skillfully with the narrative of the original film, sometimes almost unabashedly using the nostalgic factor for its gain. This is not necessarily a bad thing. In essence, this is perhaps what makes this film special.
A Christmas Story Christmas is sincere in almost every way and tries to deliver a touch of nostalgia using its original film as a palette. It is still a delight in every way.
A Christmas Story is now streaming on HBO Max.
