A Christmas Story

One of the secrets to A Christmas Story’s success is the characters, who all are depicted very realistically as a relatable family with emotions that fluctuate up and down like a roller coaster. They may have mixed feelings toward one another, but at the end of the day, they still love one another. Instead of a traditional story with a central conflict, the family is portrayed in a slice-of-life sort of structure that presents their chaotic mundane moments in a more sitcom fashion. It's also told from the perspective of a child, making out certain little events that to a grown-up are nothing, but to a kid are immense milestones. These include a kid saying his first curse word, having his first secret meeting, seeing a sexual object for the first time, standing up to a bully for the first time, and receiving his first defensive weapon.
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To add greater insight into the mind of this child, sequences of his imagination are visualized, all of which come off as overly theatrical just like the radio programs which inspired his daydreams. Numerous similar components, such as the nostalgic soundtrack, prove why this Yuletide classic isn’t just a goofy comedy, but a deceptively complex portrayal of early 1940s America that in turn captures the magic of Christmas morning. So because of its care and passion, this iconic holiday staple has come to impact the identity of the entire season.

PG (DLSV)
Comedy/Historic
1 hr. 33 min.

Watch it to LEARN.
​Watch it to feel HAPPY.