The Farrelly brothers have brought us a range of works including There’s Something About Mary (1998), Osmosis Jones (2001), Shallow Hal (2001), Fever Pitch (2005), Dumb and Dumber (1994), and more. Their newest outing starring Jack Black (Shallow Hal; Kung Fu Panda series), and with some cameos, had the potential to be incredibly enjoyable, even if it was never going to be great. Though it got relegated to a strictly streaming date, the choice to release this holiday movie over the holidays with it’s not entirely family-friendly subject matter may have been the right call. While the movie is absolutely fine and is, at moments enjoyable (mostly thanks to Black), it does the most unforgivable, ridiculous thing in its final minutes and tarnishes literally everything it was trying to say and do, utterly destroying any good will the movie had going for it. This has the groundwork reminiscent of some of the dumbest (complimentary) comedies of the ‘90s, but it takes a flamethrower to everything in the end.
L-R: Robert Timothy Smith as Liam, Jaden Carson Barker as Gibby, Jack Black as Satan, Austin “Post” Malone as Post Malone in DEAR SANTA. ©2024 Paramount Pictures. All Right Reserved.
Dear Santa focuses on Liam Turner (Robert Timothy Smith), just a child going through life who has one friend, Gibby (Jaden Carson Baker), and is romantically interested in Emma (Kai Cech) … or as romantically interested as a preteen can truly be. While Liam is a little bit of an outsider, his parents Bill and Molly (Hayes MacArthur and Brianne Howey, respectively) have different ideas of how to raise Liam and want him to stop believing in Santa Claus. Since Liam wants to continue to believe in the magic, he writes a letter to Santa, but, due to his dyslexia, he accidentally writes “Dear Satan,” which is our introduction to the underworld king, Satan (Jack Black). Satan never gets summoned by children, so he makes his presence known and Liam and Satan go on an adventure consisting of three wishes. When the third and final wish is granted, Satan gets Liam’s soul. It is fun and silly enough, and we learn of some devastating news that happened to the Turner family which is why tensions are high and presumably why Liam still believes in Santa as old as he is, but the emotional gravitas and conjuncture is all undone in the most horrendous way in the final moments of the film, leaving a taste in one’s mouth only Satan could truly stand behind.
L-R: Hayes MacArthur as Bill Turner and Brianna Howey as Molly Turner in DEAR SANTA. ©2024 Paramount Pictures. All Right Reserved.
While I am never one to bash child actors (because they’re children), Robert Timothy Smith (Wolfs) being the lead in the movie does put him front and center, leading towards a small amount of criticism. His character is, after all, a child struggling with his parents fighting, a horrible tragedy, and is now faced with Satan himself, so we’ll cut him a little slack, but when the character is allowed to unwind and have some fun, he does shine. Specifically, at the Post Malone (himself) show is where Liam is clearly having the time of his life, and Smith is at his best in this moment. While, alternatively, Jack Black, who is known for being fun, delivers on what he is good at, having the best time and continuing to shine bright in his unfiltered, PG-friendly comedy. He’s just being Jack Black disguising himself as Satan, but it is Black who breathes the life consistently into the film.
L-R: Jack Black as Satan and Robert Timothy Smith as Liam in DEAR SANTA. ©2024 Paramount Pictures. All Right Reserved.
Overall, if you were to watch Dear Santa (something I do not recommend unless you follow this one condition), turn it off about one minute before the credits roll and just pretend its over. You’ll have a much better viewing experience and won’t feel completely betrayed by the time you just invested. Those final 60 seconds are so baffling, and if it was a studio ask, there is a better way to do it than what they did, but what they did is such a slap in the face to the audience, to the situation, all of it. Black, Malone (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem), and a specific special surprise cameo among cameos shine bright in the movie, while Smith has fun in moments, but, overall, Dear Santa plays like the final five minutes of Krampus (2015), but instead it’s Satan’s twisted little game for its audience.
Available on digital and Paramount+ November 25th, 2024.
For more information, head to the Paramount Pictures Dear Santa webpage.
Final Score: 1.5 out of 5.
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Categories: In Theaters, Reviews, streaming
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