Are you frustrated that you can’t be a good person 24/7? Or are you satisfied with everything in your life? Regardless of your answer, “Spirited” (2022) is for you!
Through sweeping musical dance numbers and quick dialogue, director Sean Anders offers a retelling of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” that will surely captivate audiences of all ages.
The film is universal because of its light nature and thought-provoking plot. And if you’re a Christian, get a notebook ready to write down your discoveries of the many parallels on how the spiritual world works that can be found in this movie.
Traditionally, in Dickens’ work the story follows a miserable, selfish man who treats everyone around him terribly. One day, he finds himself on a fantastical adventure into the three phases of time: past, present and future, in order to discover how he ended up so miserable and alone.
However, this is not the only storyline in “Spirited.” In addition to the plot about the improvement of the main character’s life, the film also shows the backstage of the process that is happening in order to contribute to human change. The three ghosts of Christmas Past (Sunita Mani), Present (Will Ferrell) and Yet To Come (Loren G. Woods and Tracy Morgan) each have a distinct role in convincing bad people that they can, and should, make a change in how they live their lives.
What is more, the plot presents an atypical idea that the ghost of Christmas is a profession that one can quit. Based on how events develop, this profession has its own mental anguish, which is shown in the movie by the example of the Ghost of Christmas Present, who, in contemplating his retirement, questions if he can live a good, virtuous life. This is followed by the question of whether a person can change.
The ghost of Christmas Present and his team take on the difficult task of changing an unredeemable man, Clint Briggs (Ryan Reynolds). The Ghost of Christmas Present firmly believes that if he can change this man, then maybe there is hope for him to continue being good when he returns to Earth after retiring. He also discovers that he might be capable of loving someone when he meets Briggs’ assistant Kimberly (Octavia Spencer).
The film encourages viewers to consider the way their actions impact the world around them. It may seem obvious, but many things are difficult to know without understanding the thoughts and feelings of the people around. The film slightly opens this veil, and shows what consequences can actually be caused by actions which do not seem significant at the first sight.
“Spirited” is inspiring, firstly, because it offers an answer to the dilemma of how to be a good person, despite the number of temptations to act dishonorably. Additionally, it gives a persuasive argument for a person’s ability to change, no matter how deplorable they are.
With a star-studded cast, lots of laughs and philosophical undertones, “Spirited” is the new Christmas movie the world didn’t know it needed. Therefore, stock up on popcorn, get cozy and enjoy watching!
