Movie Review: Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (PG – 122 minutes)

Jingle Jangle is a new Christmas movie that is streaming on Netflix.  It opens on a grandmother reading a story to her granddaughter who believes in magic and can see fairies in their fire, and to her grandson, who seems to be more of a realist.  As she tells the story, we follow along through vivacious live action and engaging animated sequences.

Jeronicus Jangle is a toy inventor living in Cobbleton. He lives with his wife and daughter Jessica and is waiting on a missing piece to make a new toy for all the children for Christmas.  He creates a tiny matador toy that comes to life and has a problem with Jeronicus’s desire to make millions of him. The matador whispers into the ear of Jeronicus’s assistant Gustafson – who is already feeling slighted and ignored – that he should take Jeronicus’s book of ideas and inventions.  Gustafson takes the book and leaves Jeronicus, eventually becoming the best-known toymaker as Jeronicus slowly loses everything: his business, his wife, and his desire to work.  Jessica eventually moves away and has her own daughter, Journey.

Journey is enamored with stories of her grandfather and wants to visit him. Eventually Jessica relents, and Journey goes to spend time with Jeronicus – in the process helping him defeat Gustafson and remember why he invented toys in the first place. 

The story is sweet and the movie is a visual feast. It is written and directed by playwright David E. Talbert (who also did the wonderful Almost Christmas) because he wanted an inclusive and representational family holiday film.  It does feel like a play and I will not be surprised if it gets adapted to a stage musical. The costumes were inspired by Frederick Douglass’s clothes on his visit to Victorian England and are absolutely Oscar-worthy as is the production and set design.  The music is also incredible with assistance from John Legend - and that’s coming from me – someone who does not generally like musicals.  This movie should become annual Christmas classic viewing.  There are a few plot holes here and there, but really it’s more about the visuals and music than story.  It’s good for the whole family, even though it can get very sad when Jeronicus is losing everything. Because it has such a happy ending, it balances out.  The cast is spectacular.

Justin Cornwell plays young Jeronicus and Forest Whitaker plays the older Jeronicus. Both do a wonderful job and each get a big time song moment. 

Miles Barrow plays young Gustafson and Keegan-Michael Key plays the older Gustafson. Key again manages to steal every scene he is in and is working to establish himself as a big-time song and dance man between this and The Prom. 

Anika Noni Rose plays Jessica and yes, gets a big song. Newcomer Madalen Mills plays Journey, a role model worthy of any little girl who prefers their STEM classes to any others. She is bright and inquisitive and clever, orchestrating not only the entire visit with her grandfather, but the escapades to help bring his latest toy to life.  She is fantastic.

Phylicia Rashad plays the grandmother reading the story, and is all at once magical and grounded.  Ricky Martin has some really fun moments as the Matador doll and true villain of the story.  Lisa Davina Phillip plays Ms. Johnston, who has a crush on Jeronicus that she has to be very obvious about in order to get him to notice.

Overall the movie is wonderful and certainly perfect holiday family viewing. Hooray for streaming – get the family in their new Christmas pajamas and watch Jingle Jangle on Netflix with that big tin of tri-flavored popcorn.

8 out of 10.