A Christmas Story:
In 1940's Indiana, young Ralph "Ralphie" Parker wants one thing for Christmas: a Red Ryder BB gun. Unfortunately, everyone tells him he'll "shoot his eye out", so Ralphie goes out of his way to try and get people to give him this gift regardless of what it costs him. That's not much of a plot for a feature film, so the film has numerous sub-plots, some examples include Ralphie trying to get a Little Orphan Annie decoder pin in the mail, the local bullies tormenting Ralphie and his friends, Ralphie's friend Flik licking a frozen flagpole, and Ralphie's daydreams. Now, although this movie is a holiday classic, and I watch it every year, I have to admit, there's no real structure here, so it's kind of a mixed bag. Another criticism I have is that it becomes old after a while. I've seen it so many times over the years, I'm kind of tired of it; there's only so many times you can see a kid lick a flag pole or Ralphie fantasize about his BB gun before it becomes stale. However, it is still a classic and it's enjoyable, just not if you over-watch it. The jokes are still pretty funny, or at least enjoyable, and the acting is surprisingly good, especially from the kids (despite the fact that many of the kids in the film have very screechy voices). Bob Clark did a great job, especially considering many of his previous films were slasher films, not light-hearted comedies. The cast do a good job, too. They include Peter Billingsley (now a film director), Jean Shepherd (who wrote the novel the film is based on), Ian Petrella, Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin (in a role originally filled by Jack Nicholson), Scott Schwartz, R.D. Robb, Zack Ward, Yano Anaya, and Tedde Moore. Unfortunately, despite the film being beloved, many of these young stars never did another memorable film and have faded from fame. It's sad to think someone's career could rise and fall so quickly. But back on the film, A Christmas Story definitely has it's flaws, in particular: a lack of structure and some stale jokes, but it's still enjoyable today, and is a great film to watch around Christmastime. 3.5/5 stars.
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