Candy Cane Lane – Amazon Prime – 2 hours and 0 minutes
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Chris creates his lawn ornaments by hand for the Candy Cane Lane competition. However, his neighbor, 4-time winner Bruce, relies on inflatables. Chris refuses to change and chooses quality over quantity. Chris and his wife, Carol, prepare their children for school. He grabs his daughter’s backpack and finds a Notre Dame brochure. Joy admits she doesn’t want to attend her family’s alma mater, USC. Carol offers to make phone calls to track and field scouts for Joy, and Chris sings USC’s praises. Joy rolls her eyes and ignores them. Carol asks their son, Nick, about his math grades. Nick doesn’t care about math because he wants to pursue a music career. Chris warns Nick to get his grades up. And Chris worries his youngest daughter, Holly, doesn’t believe anymore.
Chris’s boss, Lee, calls Chris into his office. Lee sold the company. Now, Lee will let go of half the sales department. Chris is on the wrong side and has to pack up his office. Chris calls Carol to inform her, but she speaks first. Carol got an executive, Donald, to support a promotion to Director of Operations. She hangs up before Chris can tell her about the layoff.
Chris and Carol walk to Bruce’s house for a party, but Chris stops them before they reach the door. He tells Carol he got fired, and she lifts his spirits. She tells Chris they are in this together and that he will find another job. During the party, they watch news about the Candy Cane Lane competition on Bruce’s TV. The reporters announce that the competition has sponsors, and this year’s winner will get $100,000. Everyone, including Bruce, makes an excuse and abruptly leaves the party.
Chris wants to buy decorations to get a leg up on the competition. Chris and Holly ride through several detours. They find a shop, Kringles, under a bridge. Chris and Holly walk into the fantastical Christmas shop. Holly spies a doll house with unique toys, and Chris marvels at the craftsmanship. Shop owner Pepper jumps out of the shadows and shows them around the shop but warns Holly not to play with the dolls in the dollhouse. Chris purchases several items, including a 12 Days of Christmas tree, and Pepper prints the receipt. She tells him to ignore the fine print and sign. Chris signs his name and heads home with his items.
He follows the unusual instructions and assembles the tree. After a rough start, Chris undoubtedly wins the competition. Chris wakes up to see the characters from the song are missing from the tree. He assumes Bruce stole them, but Carol finds seven swans in their pool. Chris runs to Kringles to get spare parts for the tree. He walks to the dollhouse and discovers the dolls are alive. They know Chris signed the receipt like they did. They tell Chris to remember the song Pepper sang because she gave Chris a task. Chris remembers Pepper told him to find the golden rings. The dolls tell Chris to find them, or he will become trapped in the doll house like them. And he has until Christmas to uncover them all. But they warn him that Pepper likes to change the rules so she can always win.
This movie switches from real-world issues to a fantasy film within 30 minutes. Chris deals with losing his oldest daughter to college, his termination, his son’s failing grades, and Holly’s diminishing belief. Winning the competition will be a highlight for him and the prize will help financially. Then, the script gets wild with an evil elf, Santa, talking ornaments, and a strange milkmaid. However, the conclusion brings the plot back to earth. Chris finds the meaning behind the holiday and understands his children need to follow their chosen paths. This realization saves the story. And keep watching for a mid-credit scene and bloopers.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars
We’re a family that blows – Bruce
I don’t let grades define me, Dad – Nick
Nobody ever blew up on the tuba – Chris
I’ll give you some good stuff later – Carol
What’s Christmas without a little terror – Pepper
Enough is enough – Santa
Okay, okay, let’s hurry this up – Holly
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Categories: Eddie Murphy, Jillian Bell, movie, Prime Video, review, Tracee Ellis Ross, VOD
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