By: Amanda Guarragi

Christmas is a time to spend with loved ones and of course, to spread cheer. In Spirited directed by Sean Anders, the Ghost of Christmas Present (Will Ferrell) finds someone who is unredeemable to haunt to restore their good spirit. After many years of working with his team, he is very close to retirement and has no idea what his next move should be. One file that is brought to his attention is incredibly important to him to solve, so he takes on one final mission. This file is labelled unredeemable; his name is Clint Briggs (Ryan Reynolds). This film jazzes up the classic Charles Dickens story and turns it into a modernized musical with the same sentiments as the original story. Apple TV Plus has a wonderful holiday film on its hands because of the dynamic pairing of Ferrell and Reynolds. 

It’s almost hard to believe that the two of them haven’t worked together until now. Ferrell and Reynolds had wonderful chemistry and bounced off of each other incredibly well. Their line delivery, slapstick comedy and timing all worked in every single scene they were in. On the one hand, you have Reynolds playing his dry sarcastic self and Ferrell channels his inner Buddy with his whimsical zest for Christmas. Sure, they act as complete opposites for comedic purposes, but once Briggs and the Ghost of Christmas Present head back to their past, they discover they’re more alike than they think. Here, they begin to understand each other and connect on an emotional level to ground the film. There’s some Christmas magic to warm the heart, but it’s those tough, intimate moments from their past that will resonate with audiences. 

Another impressive thing was the choreography in the musical numbers. It felt so extravagant and massive, which just added to the magic of Christmas. Reynolds showed true showmanship in every single number, which was a different side of him. Any modern musical that works tap dancing into its numbers instantly has my heart. Not only is the choreography strong and incredibly sharp, but the original songs are well-written. The songs seem almost unconventional because of the lyrics that are used for Christmas, but they’re ultimately hilarious. Especially because Ferrell and Reynolds are the ones singing some wild lyrics. Movie musicals are scarce nowadays, so it was nice to see a reimagined version of a classic story adding something fresh to it. 

Spirited is a sweet Christmas film that takes the best aspects of the classic Charles Dickens story and updates it for the modern world. Now more than ever, people seem disconnected from the goodness in the world, and this film shows that love and kindness will always be important to lead a healthy life. From the musical numbers to the emotional songs and great comedic chemistry from Ferrell and Reynolds, this is a Christmas movie for the whole family to watch. There are many important lessons in this film, and it’s important to understand that we cannot change the past, but we can alter the way we interact with others presently, so our future can be filled with an abundance of positivity and love. This Christmas film reminds us what it means to be kind to our fellow neighbours and how important it is to recognize that people can be suffering in silence without even knowing. It will be streaming on Apple TV Plus Friday, November 18th.