Chris Carver (Eddie Murphy) gets locked into a fierce neighbourhood Christmas decoration competition every year, and is frustrated that his neighbour Bruce (Ken Marino) always ends up winning. After being let go from his job, Chris promises his wife Carol (Tracee Ellis Ross) that he’ll take care of the decorations this year. Taking his youngest daughter shopping for decorations, Chris finds that the shelves are already bare but on his way home they pass a very inviting looking Christmas store. There he meets Pepper (Jillian Bell) who sells him a range of decorations but Chris is unaware that she’s really an elf intent on wreaking havoc.
‘Tis the season for plenty of festive films and there are LOTS coming out this season. Perhaps one of the most widely anticipated, and publicised, is the Eddie Murphy vehicle ‘Candy Cane Lane’ for Prime Video. Murphy has long-since been a staple of comedy films but the further he’s progressed in his career, the less we seem to see him. In this film he plays Chris Carver, a man who lives with his wife and their three children, who believes himself to embody the spirit of Christmas, even if he never wins the annual decorating contest. In his haste to win the competition at all costs, Chris doesn’t realise that by buying his decorations from Pepper, he’s entering into an agreement that could change his entire life.
The ruse is that Pepper is an elf who casts a spell to bring the 12 Days of Christmas to life. In order to continue living his normal life, Chris needs to locate a series of gold rings (yes, like the song) before time runs out. If he doesn’t manage to do it, he’ll be turned into a Christmas toy that lives in Pepper’s store along with her other victims. Chris, with the help of his family tries to find the rings in a race against time that brings plenty of chaos and humour with it. Can he do it? You probably know the answer before you even watch the film but you’ll likely enjoy watching the nightmare he goes through.
‘Candy Cane Lane’ is a film that passes by with plenty of energy. At just under two hours in length, it’s a bit on the long side for a family Christmas film and it certainly could have been trimmed down a bit to make it a little snappier. The premise isn’t particularly new or original, combining the well-used festive tropes of Christmas decoration contests and elves gone bad. There’s also a heavy reliance on CGI throughout the film, which is a shame as it distracts from the fantastic set and lighting choices made by the film-makers. Younger viewers are likely to get more from this than adults but there are some decent set-pieces and jokes that will appeal to all ages.
Perhaps what doesn’t work quite so well is the social commentary that’s shoe-horned into the film throughout. It seems par for the course these days that everything we watch has to educate us and ‘Candy Cane Lane’ is no different. It’s a little jarring in a film that should just be a fun watch for the whole family.
Eddie Murphy is reliable in the lead role, giving a performance that doesn’t particularly stretch him and sits squarely in his comfort zone. He has a great screen partner in the shape of Tracee Ellis Ross who has established herself as a gifted comedy actor. Mention should be made of the three actors portraying Chris and Carol’s children – Genneya Walton, Thaddeus J. Mixson and Madison Thomas – who all give impressive performances. Jillian Bell veers a little too close to OTT with her performance as Pepper, which means her villains doesn’t have quite the impact she could have.
‘Candy Cane Lane’ is an entertaining enough Christmas film but it’s not quite as great as I’d hope it would be. With the talent involved, it should have been a lot better. With a plot that’s been done before and a far too long run-time, the film outstays its welcome. The cast, for the most part, give great performances which will keep you interested but I think this one is better suited to kids.
Cast: Eddie Murphy, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jillian Bell, Genneya Walton, Thaddeus J. Mixson, Madison Thomas, Nick Offerman, Chris Redd, Robin Thede, Ken Marino Director: Reginald Hudlin Writer: Kelly Younger Certificate: PG Duration: 117 mins Released by: Prime Video Release date: 1st December 2023
