It’s assumed that everyone’s belief in an existing Santa is lost as age creeps in, however over billions of people do not ever lose faith in Satan or innumerable such characters introduced to them as a child. Believe it or not, this is the world we live in, people have a strong faith in something like the Devil as an adult but believing in Santa Claus at that age is more of a delusion than anything. This is said not to insult believers of Satan and his different forms and names but to instead raise the controversial issue of why some beliefs are lambasted while most are quite normal. For those who expect Dear Santa to be some deeply politically motivated work of art with theological implications, do not fret — it is indeed a ridiculous family comedy, yet does encourage introspection with time.
Dear Santa, the New movie by Farrelly brothers that recently premiered on Paramount+, is much more entertaining that its title suggests, especially on its delivery. It follows the story of an 11-year-old boy called Liam who is dreading about growing up yet still gets to believe a little in Santa Clause. He still however, writes a letter to Santa so he can get his Christmas wish. “I know he’s probably not real, there’s maybe a one per cent chance,” he says
Because of Liam’s dyslexia, he unconsciously swapped some letters in his address and sent the letter to Satan instead of Santa. A large, bearded, and jolly man (Jack Black) appears out of the closet with his letter and Liam mistakens him to be Santa instead of Satan. Like Mr Claus, he is able to grant Liam’s wishes but like Mr Claus, the cost today will be little Liam’s soul. Robert Timothy Smith who plays young Liam Turner is appealing and mannered as we see the young boy few weeks ahead of Christmas. Well at least it doesn’t seem like it will be a very good one this tes. His parents argue more than talk to each other and have just settled in a new area with their son. Liam runs into Gibby, an intelligent, young social pariah with shameful teeth who is quite the down to earth aunty. At the same time, Liam and his father looks less than pleased. In fact, anybody who cared to look appears pretty discontented as if something really bad happened in their last city that made them move.
It is easy to guess that the film’s greatest asset will be Jack Black, given the direct approach in which the author Daphne Sinclair introduces him. Intelligent yet dyslexic, Liam makes use of his send the letter addressed to satan, and without realizing it, meets jack black’s hilarious depiction of the Devil. Wearing twisted horns, unkempt hair and an ostentatious red coat, Sullivan’s satanic cartoon character who resembles Nicholson, Nolte, and Welles is never anything but Jack Black. His soul, as he would ironically describe it, shines in this insane psychopath’s portrayal that satirizes the culture built around the character. This is the best performance by him, after ‘Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot’ or before ‘Bernie’.
Before Liam manages to figure out the odds in his favor, he jumps to the chance to make three wishes, his first wish being that he gets to date Emma, the girl of his dreams. Then, for some unknown reason, the girl breaks up with her boyfriend and instead, is infatuated with Liam and satan had to pull some strings. They have now been upgraded to VIP where they get to experience everything and meet her favourite singer, Post Malone. In a matter of seconds, Post Malone gets dazed and gives a shout out to Liam while being on stage with him and Emma. It’s safe to say that satan is not playing games. Liam could have anything.
In the conclusion of Dear Santa, Liam faces complex challenges, from friends, love, his parents, selfishness, and selflessness, and all at once. What surprises him is the fact that he is really arguing with satan, but that does not bother him a lot (today’s kids). As he has already been told though, provided he does not make his third wish, his soul is safe. But So does not disturb Satan. After one wish, Satan believes Liam will not only want to have all that but many more wishes too, though one does know Liam for a fact does not think that is the case. It is quite fascinating what one can learn from such a child’s play (and children or lack of maturity of sorts) — there will be difficulties in life and messes made and one will be frustrated as to what they are unable to change — wishing things would have turned out different.
Surely there are several other instances of the nuance deriving from the perceptive qualities of Dear Santa, which happens to be one of the aspects that distinguishes it from the majority of seasonal films. It is, after all, a movie that certainly examines the three interpretations associated with Christmas — family, faith and selfish or unselfish wants, and does this without being overly direct or sappy – it stays away from both extremes. It fulfills this whole concept with the use of its very “make a wish….” pattern. What would you say you want from Santa? What is your supplication? Will it, in any way, make you feel pleased? Is it for someone else and will their name be on the present? What are your desires designated for?
Yes, those who watch the film perhaps on a deeper philosophical aspect would appreciate the film, Dear Santa, a certain degree of intelligence and imagination, but it cannot say with hold any logic outside of it’s a film and for the sake of it’s a film, it does not have to be realistic. But the lady seemed to come to the audiences’ rescue by completely misunderstanding it. Yes, they might immediately think about the wish paradox: why not just wish for infinite wishes, or one could wish for their soul to never be sold no matter what else is done. Liam however, is trying things like wishing for a date with a girl.
Furthermore, it’s just funny how Liam is so careless after it dawns on him that he was not talking to Santa but to Satan and that he made a lifetime agreement with Satan to give up his soul and will be forever tortured in Hell because of it. Thanks to Jack Black, who portrays such a friendly, likeable Devil that you could even find reasons for Liam to be that pleasant.
Dear Santa is also weakened by the fact that it really makes out of kids ‘wishful thinking’ as tasks. The dreadfully long Post Malone concert sequence reaches the level of seemingly no turning back in the last quarter for example, gets a very awkward and cringe worthy and extraordinarily long 15 minutes. In the same way, the film’s conclusion is excessively childish in relation to the characters, storyline and the internal coherence of the film itself. Sad, I suppose but the very last gag makes it all worthwhile.
Dear Santa is the first film made by the Farrelly brothers in which a child plays the lead role, a fact that perhaps accounts for much of the awkwardness mentioned above; at times it is as though the two creative directors do not know what to do with that. They intend to cater to children aged pre-teens and upwards but instead bring an unexpected dark presence of Satan that makes the material too heavy. Perhaps that is why the horrid feeling emerges when their attempt at humor is too heavy handed as it tries to maintain a wholesome atmosphere that is presumed to be essential in kids’ movies.
Either way, it almost seems like a losing battle for the Farrellys. Most parents are unlikely to put on the Christmas movie deterring satanic for their children or even the entire family. This is quite unfortunate, I must say, because in this material, there are some profound ideas and quite pertinent themes. On the scale of Farrelly brothers’ films, Dear Santa appears funny and light hearted, it is more of an Osmosis Jones than a Kingpin. Even that will probably rub some people the wrong way; that is, showing Satan as some humorous friend will not go well with the belief system of certain parents.
Which, once again, is one of the enduring messages of Dear Santa. What do you still believe that you do? Or why have you outgrown it? In some aspects, it is as though Dear Santa, in its conclusion argues that one is no longer bound to certain ideologies or constructs when one discovers the same principles that they provide lying within themselves. You can make your own dreams come true; you can make your own mistakes. Not many Christmas movies for children will evoke such feelings in you, so as much as I do almost cringe at the most cringeworthy scenes of the movie and consider some things completely absurd, Dear Santa is still rather a Christmas miracle. Dear Santa is available for streaming on Paramount+ and for purchase on Google Play and Apple TVs as of today.
Watch Free Movies on Hurawatch