Rent The Santa Clause on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Leo Benvenuti & Steve Rudnick
Directed by: John Pasquin
Starring: Tim Allen, Eric Lloyd, Judge Reinhold, Wendy Crewson, David Krumholtz, Peter Boyle
Rated: PG
Watch the trailer
Plot
When a man inadvertently makes Santa fall off his roof on Christmas Eve, he finds himself magically recruited to take his place.
Verdict
The concept that a random guy could become Santa is the draw, and the
physical transformation is part of the punch line. There's not much to the movie past that. It tries to be heartfelt by having Charlie
help Scott realize his duty to children everywhere and Scott in turn
having to impress upon Charlie how important that job is and that Charlie's mom needs her son. There's also the usual trope of adults unable to believe and then 'discovering' Christmas magic. I'll give it credit for the unique take on the job of Santa.
It depends.
Review
Bill Murray and Chevy Chase were offered the role of Scott, but both turned it down.
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| Tim Allen, Eric Lloyd play Scott Calvin, Charlie |
Divorced dad Scott (Tim Allen) takes his son Charlie (Eric Lloyd) on Christmas Eve and ends up at Denny's after burning the turkey. That night he hears a noise on his roof and scares Santa Claus who ends up falling off the roof. Scott is in disbelief, trying to explain the situation. Charlie is completely on board, believing that this was Santa and that he and his dad must complete the job of delivering presents. By extension, Charlie has to believe that his father just accidentally killed Santa. The movie doesn't get into that, but the job of Santa seems almost automated with magic filling in the gaps. The reindeer know where to go, and magic can change the size of any chimney or fireplace, even allowing Scott to enter the house via a radiator.
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| Eric Lloyd, Tim Allen play Charlie, Scott Calvin/Santa Claus |
Scott and Charlie complete the job on Christmas Eve, but Scott is unhappy about it. They end up at the North Pole and none of the elves are concerned that the old Santa is gone and a replacement has appeared. There's a hidden clause that if you take the suit, you're now Santa Clause. Scott wouldn't have taken the suit if he knew that! What a catch, and there's no way out.
Scott wakes up back in his home the next morning wondering if it was all a dream. There's a rift between Scott, Charlie, and Scott's ex-wife. Charlie fully believes Scott is Santa while Scott tries to downplay the experience, and Scott's ex-wife is annoyed at the apparent game Scott is playing. Soon Scott begins to wake up to immense physical changes. He's rapidly gaining weight and growing a beard. He's physically becoming Santa Clause. His ex-wife wonders if he's delusional, committing to Charlie's idea that his dad is Santa. Charlie's mom and step-dad try to convince Charlie that Scott can't be Santa, but Charlie knows he is.
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| Tim Allen plays Scott Calvin/Santa Claus |
The next Christmas Scott completely looks like Santa and has a job to do. He takes Charlie with him. Scott's ex-wife thinks he's kidnapped Charlie. The police and the elves get involved, culminating in a heartfelt speech from Scott to Charlie that makes even his ex-wife believe he's Santa. Scott tells Charlie that his mom needs him, but they will always spend Christmas Eve together.
It's an outrageous premise, and that's what helps this movie. So many Christmas movies try recycle what's worked in the past. This movie begins with a man killing Santa, and it plays that as comedy!
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