The Chaotic Charm of Jingle All The Way
It has the veneer of a family comedy, but this Christmas classic is a lot more deranged than you remember.
Jingle All The Way is a beloved Christmas comedy that speaks to its generation better than most. From its winter wonderland setting to the unhinged set pieces, its reputation in the tapestry of holiday classics grows fonder with each passing year.
The movie traces the plight of an inexplicably jacked workaholic named Howard Langston (Arnold Schwarzenegger) on his quest to find a Turbo Man action figure for his son Jamie (played by Jake Lloyd), of Phantom Menace fame. As wholesome as it is, the bulk of Jingle All The Way’s charm derives from the idiosyncrasies that make it such a quotable artifact of pop culture.
Each annual rewatch finds new angles to enjoy its absurd little plot points, like the Royal Rumble against 25 crooked mall Santas, or Sinbad’s choking of an old woman outside the toy store. Then, of course, there’s the meddling neighbor (Phil Hartman) who’s actively trying to sleep with Howard’s wife, played by Rita Wilson.
In spite of the unintended hilarity, Jingle All The Way is also the defining Christmas movie of the mid-90s, a time of commercial prosperity and Clinton-era values. Coming hot on the heels of Toy Story just one year prior, it was released during a time when action figures were still at the top of every kid’s wish list.
If Howard is the upper middle-class equivalent of Indiana Jones, then Turbo Man is his holy grail. Instead of finding everlasting life, he finds the true essence of fatherhood at the bottom of his cup. And like every great Christmas movie, Jingle All the Way leaves a lasting impression of generosity and togetherness, reinforcing the ideals of a mid-90s Christmas by staging it through an action-packed showdown between Sinbad and a spandex-clad Schwarzenegger.
The ending is a warm and fuzzy affirmation that, despite the horrific real-life implications of serious jail time, endures for the Toys ‘R Us generation as a feel-good Christmas comedy.
Jingle All the Way is streaming on Disney Plus.
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In the mood for more yuletide fun? Check out the post below about Bad Santa, which hit theaters 20 years ago.
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