Dear Santa
review by Bobby Blakey
In 2001 Bobby and Peter Farrelly teamed up with Jack Black for the comedy Shallow Hal. Now they are reteaming for their holiday film Dear Santa with Black in the lead and co-starring Robert Timothy Smith, Keegan-Michael Key, Brianne Howey, Hayes MacArthur, Post Malone, P.J. Byrne, Jaden Carson Baker, and Kai Cech with Peter Farrelly & Ricky Blitt writing and Bobby Farrelly directing. Could this new take on the Christmas classic deliver or will it not be worth the three wishes he is offering?
Dear Santa follows a young boy who mails his Christmas wish list to Santa with one crucial spelling error, a devilish Jack Black arrives to wreak havoc on the holidays. From the hilarious minds behind Dumb & Dumber, Christmas is about to go up in flames.
I love Jack Black and the more unhinged the better, but also know he can be a lot for some people. This is the perfect role for him as he gets to bring all his energy and over the top antics to role and cut lose. At the same time, he is a little reigned in on some level to allow the kids to be the focal point and it delivers. Sure, there are some jokes that fall flat, but as a whole I had a great time with the flick.
The story is simple but offers just enough layers and drama to give it purpose before getting into the silly chaos of it all. Not everything works here, but it has a great foundation first with these two young leads in Robert Timothy Smith and Jaden Carson Baker. Their friendship is the heart of the film and dealing with their own shortcomings and weirdness makes it relatable to a lot of people.
The powerhouse of Jack Black who looks to be having a great time here and goes all in is the saving grace to every moment that might not fully work. We all know where this headed using its formulaic format, but Black’s graveled voice devil
keeps in on track and entertaining at every turn. His look is fitting for the role and despite having nothing holiday themed to it they did a great job of making it have hints of the Santa Claus vibe. Throughout the potty humor and goofiness is a film with heart that manages to bring some laughs successfully.
This might not have been the worthy film for a theatrical experience, but it’s perfect for streaming and always welcome time to see the Farrelly’s in action. If you are looking for a fun film for the holiday season, give Dear Santa a try streaming now on Paramount+.