Movie Review: Candy Cane Lane (2023)
Synopsis: After losing his job, Chris Carver becomes determined to win an annual Christmas decorating contest and its $100,000 prize. His search for additional decorations leads him to a Christmas shop located under a freeway and to the elf running the place, Pepper. Chris purchases a tree based on the song "12 Days of Christmas" but doesn't read the fine print on the receipt. Soon after, the various gifts from the song become real, wreaking havoc on Chris and his family. He then learns he must retrieve the golden rings by 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve or he will be turned into a glass Christmas figurine.
Who's in it? The movie stars Eddie Murphy, Jillian Bell, Tracee Ellis Ross, David Alan Grier and Madison Thomas.
Review: As someone who is Gen X, I still prefer the 1980s/early 90s Eddie Murphy to the family-friendly movie version today. However, when I came across Candy Cane Lane, I was intrigued enough by the plot to give him and the movie a try. After watching it today, I'll say it was better than expected, though it did fall more than a little bit short of making my favorite Christmas movie list.
First, I'll start out by giving the film some points for originality. There are some parts of the movie that are a bit predictable, including the big reveal about what would happen to Chris (Murphy) if he didn't find the rings and the even bigger reveal about just how many rings he's supposed to find, but I was willing to overlook that because I thought the overall story was reasonably unique and entertaining.
Helping with that was Pepper (Bell), who was just the right mix of evil and quirky. This made her an intriguing villain because it was easy to underestimate her and, every time Chris seemed to be gaining the upper hand, you knew it was only a matter of time before she quashed that with some sort of surprise trickery. This was especially true toward the end, when she wasn't afraid to cheat to win (or keep Chris from winning).
My biggest problem with this movie is it was a film that tried to do too much. For example, while the talking glass figurines were funny at times, they felt a little unnecessary. The film could have accomplished just as much (if not more) if they were left out and the film focused more on the main plot. Not to mention, the fact those characters had presumably been glass figurines for a number of years only raised a bunch of questions about their ability to resume normal lives if/when they became human again, putting a damper on any "happy" ending involving them.
As far as the various 12 days of gifts go, the movie was confusing at times about just who could see them. While I think they were supposed to be visible to everyone, there were scenes, like the one at the track meet, where they didn't elicit even a remotely appropriate reaction. I may not be a track meet expert but I'm pretty sure a bunch of lords of leaping on the track should have resulted in the race being stopped.
Another thing I think hurt this movie is Chris and his family weren't as relatable as I think they were supposed to be. They had a nice house, his wife (Ross) had a good paying job so, even with him being laid off, I had a hard time believing they would have a hard time making ends meet. As a result of that, Chris' desire to win $100,000 just didn't hit as well as it should. If the main protagonist isn't looking for a Christmas miracle to save his home, money really shouldn't be a movie motivation.
Final Opinion: Again, the film had a somewhat unique plot and I'm willing to admit the "family guy" version of Eddie Murphy did an OK job. I just wish there had been more focus on the main plot with a protagonist that was easier to relate to. As a Christmas film, however, it's worth watching at least once.
My Grade: B-
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Here are some reviews of other Christmas movies:
Movie Review: Hot Frosty (2024)
Movie Review: A Biltmore Christmas (2023)
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