Neil BakerGet Santa is available to rent, buy or stream now.
Sometimes directors throw as a curveball, and Christopher Smith’s Get Santa is one of those; after all, this guy brought us Creep, Severance, and Black Death. With Get Santa, Smith offers us something different, a rare festive gem that appeals to kids and adults alike with sharp and delightfully silly humour. Add to that the brilliant Jim Broadbent as Santa alongside a veritable whos who of British talent, from Stephen Graham to Joanna Scanlan and Rafe Spall, and you have a festive comedy that has only grown in popularity over the years since its initial release.
Steve Anderson (Rafe Spall) has just been released from prison on parole in time for Christmas under the guidance of his evil, Roald Dahl-inspired probation officer (Joanna Scanlan). All Steve wants is to spend some time with his son Tom (Kit Connor), who lives with his ex-wife (Jodie Whittaker). However, events are about to take a strange turn when Steve receives a late-night phone call from Tom, who claims to have found Santa Claus (Jim Broadbent) in his garden shed. Assuming this Santa to be a predator, Steve rushes to the house only to find a man dressed as Father Christmas, claiming to be the real Santa. Apparently, he accidentally crashed his sleigh and lost his reindeer, but Steve’s not buying it, even if Tom is. However, things are about to escalate, and Steve’s belief in Father Christmas is about to turn a corner.
Get Santa is, in essence, a delightfully different take on Miracle on 34th Street. This cracking family comedy discusses life, missed opportunities and the wrong turns we can so easily take. What makes British cinema different to its Hollywood cousins will forever be debated; for example, while some say it’s the technical talent behind the screen, others argue that it’s the understated screenwriting and performances. However, in many cases, it’s a film’s ability to skirt Hollywood’s sentimentality in favour of a more delicate and humorous approach. It’s here where Smith’s movie excels as it masterfully laces its laugh-out-loud moments with something far more delicate. Get Santa appeals directly to kids with its fantasy, wonder and farting reindeer while also finding a place in the heart of every adult watching.
