Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey - Film Review

alone a holiday film AND a musical. This film is sure to be a mainstay in black households for many Christmases to come.

On the topic of music, the film has no shortage of it and I loved that. If you know me, or you followed my Reel Recommendations from this past summer, you know that I am a sucker for a good musical. My favorite film, Dreamgirls, is in fact a musical. As an aside, Anika Noni Rose, who plays Jessica in this film, plays Lorell, one of the title characters, in Dreamgirls. Every time she sang on screen, I couldn't help but to internally scream "YOU BETTA SING, LORELL!" Anyway, the original music in this film is great. The original songs, co-written and produced by producer John Legend, fill the film with an extreme sense of joy that does everything it can to put a smile on your face. For me, the stand-out number was sung by the film's young lead Madalen Mills, "Square Root of Possible." It is a song about conquering the impossible and is powerfully sung. And by such a young voice, too. Mills is sure to have a good amount of work for a while after this film. Every song in this film has its plusses, though I am sure that the show-stopping opening number "This Day" is going to be the one that is pushed the most for awards consideration.

The film looks amazing. This is (sort-of) a period film, so it required extra careful consideration, production design-wise. On that front, it was a success. The interiors of Jeronicus Jangle's shop and Gustafson's factory and office are the most memorable. The exterior set on the street in front of Jangle's shop reminded me very much of Whoville from 2001's How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The costume design as well as the visual effects are successes. Period films tend to have very well done costumes, and this film is no exception. The visual effects, particularly the, what I'm calling, "mental math" sequences (you'll know what I mean when you see the film), were stunning.

As previously hinted, the film has some great performances as well. The stand-out performance was from Madalen Mills as Journey, hands-down. I have never been a fan of child actors, especially singing child actors, but she had something else. She provided an extra level of professionalism and poise to the role that I think helped her rise above the ranks of her adult costars. Forest Whitaker, as Jeronicus Jangle, and Phylicia Rashad in her role as the narrator, though her role is small, are always a delight. Anika Noni Rose gives a great performance as Jessica, Jeronicus' daughter. And Keegan-Michael Key, who I didn't know could sing, does well as the apprentice-turned-villain Gustafson. Other standouts were Ricky Martin, in a voice-only role, as Don Juan, the source of Gustafson's greed, and Lisa Davina Phillip, as the comedic relief and romantic interest Ms. Johnston.

Now, the film does suffer from a bit of overstuffing. At times, it seems like there is too much going on at one time, and because of the grand scale of the film, it can be overwhelming. That unfortunately took me out of the film a little bit, especially near the middle, but fortunately, as a musical, the film benefits from those bursts of life. 

Overall, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey is a film that I enjoyed very much. It's fun, light, and has some great songs. This film is sure to put anyone in the Christmas spirit, even if it was released in early-mid November. This film, I believe, is playing in select theaters. So, if you can and if you feel safe and comfortable, I would recommend trying to see this on a big screen. It's two hours of fun however you watch it, but I think it'll be more enhanced on a movie screen.

Viewed on Nov. 12, 2020 at home via screener

Run Time: 120 minutes

Rated PG for some thematic elements and peril