One of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time, one of the funniest holiday movies ever made, and also one of the most charming movies ever filmed, A Christmas Story is near and dear to my heart and also bunches up a whole slew of laughs. So now let's do a review.
Plot:
The film opens with an adult version of a child in a 1940's Indiana small town narrating over his child life while it plays. He mentions constantly a Red-Rider Bee-Bee Gun that has a compass in the stock and this funny little thing that tells time. He wants this for his Christmas gift, but the only problem, everyone together, "You'll shoot your eye out!"
The boy, Ralphie, is shown through school troubles as well, such as watching his friend take a bet and stick his tounge on a pole, which of course freezes onto it, gets bullied by Scott Farcus and Grover Dill, and even gets some bad grades once in a while because of his desire for a gun.
We also see him struggle in his life with his parents. His old man fights with the furnace, his mother can't eat a meal in peace, and things get worse when the old man wins a Leg Lamp, one of the most iconic lamps in film history, and the wife gets jealous when it takes up space where her plants go. Add to that Ralphie cussing, fighting with his brother, and ending up fighting the bullies after he just can't take it.
So when Christmas is only a few days away, he realizes Santa is the answer. So he goes to mall to tell him, only to find that this Santa sure is a phony. He relays the message, but ends up getting the shoot your eye out quote. He goes home that night not feeling the greatest.
The next morning, Christmas is ordinary. He gets clothes, his "favorite" being a bunny suit made by his aunt. After its all over, his old man points out a gift hiding in the corner and when Ralphie unwraps it, it is his beloved rifle at last. But when he goes outside to shoot it, the bee-bee richochets back and hits his glasses, and then he steps on them.
That morning also, the Bumperse hounds come over to investigate the wonderful smell of Christmas turkey being made in the oven, and get the best of it. So the old man's solution: we are going out to eat. Of course, to a Chinese restaurant. That night Ralphie goes to bed with his rifle in his bed and his brother with a zepplin while his parents listen to Christmas music on the radio and it snows outside.
And now for ratings:
Acting: 9 out of 10. Some really natural performances by all the kids.
Entertainment: 10 out of 10. Really great.
Screenplay: 10 out of 10. Realistic, funny, and clever.
Directing: 6 out of 10. Pretty good, but not much more than standard.
Technical Credits: 5 out of 10. Standard.
Genre Fit: 10 out of 10. Always a comedy.
MPAA Rating: 7 out of 10. Some profanity now and again almost crosses the line, but then again this is before PG-13, so its not awful.
Stupid Scenes: 10 out of 10. You're out of your mind if you disagree.
Deeper Message: 5 out of 10. Nothing really, but it does harken back to the wonders of childhood.
Beginning: 29 out of 30. Wonderful start. One of the best scenes being the flagpole scene.
Middle: 25 out of 30. A little less interesting, but still good.
Ending: 27 out of 30. Great ending.
Final Score: 153/180 or 85%. An A-, which is a really good movie.
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