By Geno McGahee
I continue my spree of Xmas movie reviews with the 2014 movie “A MERRY FRIGGIN’ CHRISTMAS” starring the late Robin Williams. It’s so sad that we no longer have him around, but it was great to see him in this film that I had never heard of. We once again get to see the abilities of Williams to travel from dramatic to comedic with ease in this touching holiday film.
Boyd Mitchler (Joel McHale) is trying to keep the spirit of Christmas alive in his 5-year-old son, Doug (Pierce Gagnon). He has a job that makes him a lot of money but doesn’t give him a lot of time and he has a lot of unresolved issues with his dad. His father was a drunk and told him at an early age that there was no Santa. It impacted him and he has severed the ties to his dad, but things are about to change.
Boyd’s brother, Nelson (Clark Duke), has had a baby dropped off to him from an ex-girlfriend from a guy that she cheated on him with. He has basically adopted the child and has set up the Christening for December 24th, forcing the Mitchler family to drive down and unite as a family. Virgil Mitchler (Williams) is cranky and already preparing himself for a war with Boyd, reciting what he will say to his wife, Donna (Candice Bergen). Donna has been an enabler to her husband’s alcohol problem over the years and her goal is to make this dysfunctional family a happy one for Xmas.
Adding to this gathering is Shauna (Wendi McLendon-Covey) and her registered sex offender husband, Dave (Tim Heidecker). Dave exposed himself to a busload of elderly people and has given Virgil plenty of material to work with, calling him the “family perv.” Shauna defends her man, blames her mom, and has two wild children, Rance (Ryan Lee) and Pam (Amara Miller). Lee proved to be amusing in this as he was in his recent role in GOOSEBUMPS.
The tension is thick with the family and it gets worse when Boyd realizes that he forgot to pack his son’s Xmas gift. He now has less than 8 hours to get home and back to his parent’s house to save Christmas. Through a series of unfortunate events, he is now trapped in a car with his dad and brain-damaged brother. This forces Virgil and Boyd to speak and to break through the feelings.
Boyd meets up with Santa (Oliver Platt) in a gas station bathroom and begins to come to some realizations. Oliver Platt is always great and he shines as the hobo Santa. He joins the group in hopes to keep a little boy’s Xmas intact. In the meantime, Donna and Boyd’s wife, Luann (Lauren Graham), to come up with a backup plan, starting with rummaging through the attic and finding Boyd’s old toys to give to the child for the holiday. This gives a window into the childhood that Boyd had and why he and his dad are so estranged.
A MERRY FRIGGIN’ CHRISTMAS is a really good holiday film. It was another example of Robin Williams’s talents and ability to make you laugh and pull at your heart strings. The cast here is so good. McHale proved he was more than a comedic actor, playing the role dramatically and showing his range. When he finally connects with his dad, it’s a touching moment. The big laughs were thanks to Clark Duke and Lauren Graham. I laughed out loud several times with their lines and delivery.
A MERRY FRIGGIN’ CHRISTMAS is another holiday list to add to your Xmas movie marathon…if you have one. What sane person wouldn’t have one? This film is endearing, funny, and focuses on the true meaning of the holiday…time spent as a family. I highly recommend it and RIP Robin Williams.
Rating: 7/10
