Spirited - An Apple+ Movie Review

What’s the past doing in the present?

Based on Charles Dickens's famous novel A Christmas Carol, Spirited is a 2022 Apple+ musical. For centuries, the afterlife finds any miserable Scrooge and attempts to redeem them. Working in touches of magic, one misanthrope may change the whole tradition.

I cannot begin to describe how much I loved Spirited. My cheeks hurt so much from smiling. Spirited was getting so much buzz that I couldn’t wait to check it out. The film’s tone is so fun that I was dancing along. Spirited inspires viewers to make choices worthy of a good life by brandishing a unique concept of a century-old story.

Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds embraced their roles. They were so fun to watch, especially in the popular song, “Good Afternoon.’ Their banter was a little too much at times, taking away from the scenes.

Let’s talk about Ferrell. While his singing was not the strongest, his portrayal as Present is a new highlight of his career. His character has a lot of history. No longer sure of what he is doing, is he worthy of a second chance?

This was Reynolds's musical debut. He put all the charm into his role. Lowering his steel walls, Clint is more observant than he lets on. The pair show one another that there is more to life by making changes.

Casting choices for Spirited were the best. I first saw Sunita Mani in Save Yourselves! at its Sundance premiere. She was funny as Christmas Past. Octavia Spencer appears in another noteworthy performance. More credits include Patrick Page, Joe Tippett, Loren G. Woods, Tracey Morgan, and Aimee Carrero. Watch closely for a famous cameo during one song number.

The ghosts concept was my favorite part of Spirited. It was the most unique element. I love any storyline involving ghosts. Creating a concept where the afterlife is made up of the production crew of A Christmas Carol, I was so on board for this. Each year, they find an unredeemable to see if they can redeem them.

By the end, Spirited lagged. The film could have been a half-hour shorter. Spirited should have spent more time evolving the afterlife story. It gets lost. As sweet as Present and Kimberly’s (Spencer) romance was, it’s not what the story is about.

This segment didn’t feel possible considering the backgrounds of the characters. Since Present is a ghost, it should have been explained how Kimberly can interact with him. Her character needed more fleshing out. We should have delved more into Present’s life because it had so much potential.

Sean Anders embraced the concept but there was a time when it was too much. It didn’t have a consistent arc. Ferrell and Reynolds deserved a limit to their improv. Editors should have trimmed ongoing jokes. Songs could have been reduced. There are eleven song numbers in total.

Spirited is a sparkly dance-hopping production. The cast rehearsed well-choreographed dance numbers. Everyone had exuberant energy. Now I am hoping that ‘Good Afternoon’ gets a song nomination. I can’t count how many times I have rewatched this scene.

Similar to A Christmas Carol, the moral of Spirited resonates with several audiences. The line, ‘what’s the past doing in the present’ is now one of my favorite pieces of dialogue. Our choices make us who we are. How you live your life is up to you.

Spirited is my new favorite holiday film. The film is a festive delight. I will watch it every year. If you have the chance, watch Spirited. It is fantastic!