Review by Lejink

It gets more difficult this time each year to sit down in front of a good Christmas film, but this Disney feature from the 90's was a pleasant surprise. Tim Allen is the fast-talking salesman single parent trying to connect with his reluctant young son on Christmas Eve. Junior it seems would rather be with his mother and her new man, a confident, handsome psychiatrist with a penchant for wearing garish sweaters. The only thing that really links the boy with his dad is their shared belief in Santa Claus unlike his more modern-thinking mum and partner. Christmas Eve goes fairly disastrously between father and son, as they find themselves in a cafe amusingly populated by a host of other single dads and their kids after Tim burns the turkey before the tetchy, tired dad puts his son down to bed for the big sleep. However when they're awakened by noises on the roof, an unimaginable chain of events opens up ahead of them, not only affecting this Christmas but all their Christmases to come.

For me the film pitched itself just nicely between catering to adults and children. There are plenty of good grown-up, but never crude, if you can forgive a couple of flatulence episodes, jokes and sight-gags especially as Allen's plight dawns on him, even a simple one like the police sketch-plan used to corner this new Santa prominently featuring a cop's favourite haunt, the do'nut shop, had me smiling. Sure one or two of the kids playing elves seemed to be reading their lines off cue-cards, but head elf Bernard and especially the little girl playing the worldly elf Judy are a delight.

Allen himself is very good, especially when he bulks up to fill the big man's shoes (and robe and hat) and if his boy Charlie initially seems like another production-line cute, smart, mop-haired kid, even he gets some neat lines and develops a likeable personality. The special effects are nice, involving the reindeer sleigh and answering that old chestnut as to how Santa gets down chimneys without fireplaces, even if they are slightly dated by modern standards and I liked the ending for the way it didn't take the easy resolution it looked for a long time it was headed.

In short, this was very enjoyable festive family entertainment, recommended Christmas viewing.