''Candy Cane Lane'' is a 2023 American

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by

Reginald Hudlin Reginald Alan Hudlin (born December 15, 1961) is an American film screenwriter, director, producer, and comic-book writer. Along with his older brother Warrington Hudlin, he is known as one of the Hudlin Brothers. From 2005 to 2008, Hudlin was P ...

and written by Kelly Younger. The film stars

Eddie Murphy Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and singer. He rose to fame on the sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'', for which he was a regular cast member from 1980 to 1984. Murphy has als ...

Tracee Ellis Ross Tracee Joy Silberstein (born October 29, 1972), known professionally as Tracee Ellis Ross, is an American actress. She is known for her lead roles in the television series ''Girlfriends (2000 TV series), Girlfriends'' (2000–2008) and ''Black- ...

Jillian Bell Jillian Leigh Bell (born April 25, 1984) is an American actress, comedian and screenwriter. She stars in the 2019 film ''Brittany Runs a Marathon'' and 2022's ''I'm Totally Fine''. She starred as Jillian Belk on ''Workaholics'', voiced the role o ...

, Thaddeus J. Mixon,

Ken Marino Kenneth Joseph Marino (born December 19, 1968) is an American actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter. He was a cast member on MTV's ''The State'' and has starred in shows such as ''Party Down'', '' Marry Me'', ''Burning Love'', and ''Childre ...

Trevante Rhodes Trevante Nemour Rhodes (born February 10, 1990) is an American actor. He won several accolades and achieved recognition in 2016 for his performance as Chiron in the Academy Award-winning film '' Moonlight''. He has since starred in '' The Pred ...

David Alan Grier David Alan Grier (born June 30, 1956) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his work as Bernard on '' Damon'' (1998), as David Bellows on ''Life with Bonnie'' (2002–2004), as Joe Carmichael on ''The Carmichael Show'' (2015� ...

, and

Nick Offerman Nicholas David Offerman (born June 26, 1970) is an American actor, writer, comedian, producer, and carpenter. He is best known for his role as Ron Swanson in the NBC sitcom ''Parks and Recreation'', for which he received the Television Critics A ...

. It tells the story of a laid-off corporate marketer who makes a deal with a wicked

Christmas elf In English-speaking cultures, a Christmas elf is a diminutive elf that lives with Santa Claus at the North Pole and acts as his helper. Christmas elves are usually depicted as green- or red-clad, with large, pointy ears and wearing pointy hats. T ...

to win his street's house decoration contest. ''Candy Cane Lane'' was released by

Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming and Renting, rental service of Amazon (c ...

on December 1, 2023.

Plot

Corporate marketer Chris Carver makes his own hand-carved decorations for the local neighborhood Christmas decoration competition but has never won, thus being envious of his neighbor Bruce who repeatedly wins with

inflatable An inflatable is an object that can be inflated with a gas, usually with air, but hydrogen, helium and nitrogen are also used. One of several advantages of an inflatable is that it can be stored in a small space when not inflated, since inflata ...

s and other inexpensive

mass market The term "mass market" refers to a market for goods produced on a large scale for a significant number of end consumers. The mass market differs from the niche market in that the former focuses on consumers with a wide variety of backgrounds with ...

decorations. Shortly before Christmas, he is laid off, leading to him desperately competing for the $100,000 grand prize given to the winner by Prism Cable. Seeking supplies, Chris and his youngest daughter Holly stumble across a mysterious Christmas shop called "Kringle's", filled with beautiful decorations and figurines. He buys a large tree-shaped

zoetrope A zoetrope is one of several pre-film animation devices that produce the illusion of motion by displaying a sequence of drawings or photographs showing progressive phases of that motion. It was basically a cylindrical variation of the phénak ...

based on "The Twelve Days of Christmas". When presented with the receipt, Chris is urged to sign it by shopkeeper Pepper without reading the fine print. Using the new decoration, the family impresses at the competition. The next day, the images from the tree are gone and there are seven swans swimming in the family's pool. Chris blames Bruce for the act and returns to Kringle's with Holly, seeking replacements. Meanwhile, Chris's wife Carol is attacked at work by six geese laying and three French hens (wearing Frenchman costumes). Upon returning to the shop, they meet several living glass figurines in a Christmas village: Pip, Cordelia, Gary, and a group of carolers. They explain that Pepper is an evil

who has tricked Chris into a

Faustian bargain Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust ( 1480–1540). The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a pact with the Devil at a crossroads ...

, and that they are all previous victims of hers. Chris has to find five golden rings held by the missing images, now alive, before 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve or else he will turn into a figurine as well. Chris and Holly acquire the first two rings from the two turtledoves and the three French hens. Then he rescues the figurines, taking them home in the village's clock tower, where he shows them to his family. At Chris's older daughter Joy's track meet, Pepper has the eight maids milking and ten lords leaping attack the family. Despite the chaos, they manage to retrieve the third and fourth rings. Joy, however, becomes upset when her father inadvertently insults a college recruiter, leading her and her brother Nick to accuse him of focusing on Christmas for his own sake and not letting them live their own lives. Back at home, Chris reveals what is going on, so the family resolves to help. Realizing that Pepper has the fifth ring, they set up a trap for her during the night of the competition, where everyone learns from Prism Cable's news program that the $100,000 reward is actually in taco coupons. After trapping Pepper and getting her ring,

Santa Claus Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a Legend, legendary figure originating in Western Christianity, Western Christian culture who is said to Christmas gift-bringer, bring ...

appears to send her back to the

North Pole The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distinguish from the Mag ...

. When Chris presents the five rings to her, she taunts him, saying he needs more. As "five golden rings" is said eight times in "The Twelve Days of Christmas", the family realize they need 40 rings. Pepper then unleashes the remaining decorations (the nine ladies dancing are unseen) on the neighborhood. The Carvers scramble to get the rings, with Santa assisting them. Pepper then cheats by turning the clock tower forward five minutes, prematurely turning Chris into a figurine. The family only manages to get 38 rings, but Santa points out that Chris and Carol's wedding rings, made out of gold, bring the total to 40, turning Chris back to normal. Holly then has the other figurines returned to normal as her Christmas wish. Santa takes Pepper and all the former figurines except for Pip on his sleigh, saying goodbye to the Carvers. On Christmas morning, the Carvers enjoy their free tacos with Bruce and his family, as Chris made amends with him. Pip then arrives, wishing to not spend Christmas alone, and is welcomed by the family. One year later in the mid-credits, Pepper is then shown to have been turned into a glass figurine by Santa as punishment where her good behavior will get her back to the reindeer poop-scooping rank. Chris has gained ownership of Pepper's store, now renamed "Chris Kringle's".

Cast

Additionally,

Pentatonix Pentatonix (abbreviated PTX) is an American a cappella group from Arlington, Texas, currently consisting of vocalists Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, Kirstin Maldonado, Kevin Olusola, and Matt Sallee. Characterized by their pop-style arrangements ...

(

Scott Hoying Scott Richard Hoying (born September 17, 1991)Nguyen, Mindy (December 19, 2016A Pentatonix Christmas (Music Review)The Lion's Roar is an American singer, musician and songwriter who came to international attention as the baritone of the a cappell ...

Kirstin Maldonado Kirstin Taylor Maldonado (born May 16, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She is best known as the mezzo-soprano of the a cappella group Pentatonix. With the group, she has released seven studio albums, won three Grammy Awards ...

Mitch Grassi Mitchell Coby Michael Grassi (born July 24, 1992) is an American singer, musician and songwriter from Arlington, Texas. Known for his high tenor voice, Grassi came to international attention as the founder and performer of two groups—the quint ...

Kevin Olusola Kevin Oluwole Olusola, also known as K.O., (born October 5, 1988) is an American singer-songwriter, beatboxer, and cellist. Olusola is best known as the beatboxer of the a cappella group Pentatonix. After the group won NBC's ''The Sing-Off'' in ...

and Matt Sallee) portray the

carolers A carol is a festive song, generally religious but not necessarily connected with Christian church worship, and sometimes accompanied by a dance. A caroller (or caroler) is someone who sings carols, and is said to be carolling (or caroling). T ...

and also voice them in their glass figurine form.

Production

In July 2022, it was reported that

would star in and produce a new holiday comedy film as part of a three-film

first-look deal A first-look deal is any contract containing a clause granting, usually for a fee or other consideration that covers a specified period of time, a pre-emption right, right of first refusal, or right of first offer (also called a right of first neg ...

with Amazon Prime Video.

, who directed Murphy in ''

Boomerang A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning b ...

'' (1992), would direct, while Kelly Younger wrote the script, inspired by his childhood holiday experiences. In January 2023,

was cast opposite Murphy.

Robin Thede Robin Thede ( ) is an American comedian, actress and writer. Raised in Iowa, she has also worked as an entertainment correspondent, host, and radio personality. In 2015, she became the first African-American woman to be head writer for a late-n ...

Chris Redd Christopher Jerell Redd (born March 25, 1985) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, rapper, and singer. Redd was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' from 2017 to 2022. For his work on the show, he won ...

and

Danielle Pinnock Danielle Pinnock (born May 11, 1988) is an American actress, writer, and comedian. Pinnock is a main cast member on the CBS series ''Ghosts'' (2021– ), where she plays the 1920s Prohibition era jazz singer “Alberta.” She held a supporting r ...

were cast in the film. The film is produced by Murphy,

Brian Grazer Brian Thomas Grazer (born July 12, 1951) is an American film and television producer and writer. He founded Imagine Entertainment in 1986 with Ron Howard. The films they produced have grossed over $15 billion. Grazer was personally nominated fo ...

, Karen Lunder, and Charisse Hewitt-Webster, and executive produced by Doug Merrifield.

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as actor ...

took place in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

from December 2022 to February 2023.

Release

''Candy Cane Lane'' was released on December 1, 2023 by Amazon MGM Studios on their streaming service

Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming and rental service of Amazon offered as a standalone service or as part of Amazon's Prime subscription. The service prim ...

Reception

Richard Roeper Richard E. Roeper (born October 17, 1959) is an American columnist and film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times''. He co-hosted the television series '' At the Movies'' with Roger Ebert from 2000 to 2008, serving as the late Gene Siskel's success ...

of the ''

Chicago Sun-Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago T ...

'' gave the film a score of two out of four, writing "''Candy Cane Lane'' is a stunningly uneven film that careens between cornball family drama, slapstick comedy and special-effects-laden gimmickry". James Dyer writing for ''

Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

'' scored the film a three out of five saying, "Part ''

It's A Wonderful Life ''It's a Wonderful Life'' is a 1946 American Christmas by medium#Films, Christmas Fantasy film, fantasy drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra, based on the short story and booklet ''The Greatest Gift'', which Philip Van Doren Stern se ...

'', part ''

Drag Me To Hell ''Drag Me to Hell'' is a 2009 American supernatural horror film directed and co-written by Sam Raimi. It stars Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Lorna Raver, Dileep Rao, David Paymer, and Adriana Barraza. The plot, written with his older brother Ivan, ...

'', this unholy concoction of ideas is unlikely to become a seasonal staple, but sift through the nonsense and there’s a surprising amount to enjoy in this bonkers Noel nightmare. In what other film can you hear the phrase, 'This chicken is trippin', and watch a psychotic elf kick Black Santa in the nuts?".

Owen Gleiberman Owen Gleiberman (born February 24, 1959) is an American film critic who has been chief film critic for ''Variety'' magazine since May 2016, a title he shares with . Previously, Gleiberman wrote for ''Entertainment Weekly'' from 1990 until 2014. ...

of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' criticized Murphy's persona as being too "forced". He further explained: "I wouldn't call ''Candy Cane Lane'' one of Murphy's good comedies; it's too long, too jammed together, and beneath it all too Christmas cookie cutter. Yet Murphy inhabits the role of a doting dad who lives for Christmas with reassuring ease". He closed his review writing, "''Candy Cane Lane'' shows you that the Christmas movie as we've known it may be all used up, and that it has now entered its anything-goes surrealist phrase. 'Tis the season to be batty".

Injury

During a shoot for the film in March 2023,

Jon Farhat Jon Farhat is a motion picture visual effects supervisor and second unit director who was nominated at the 67th Academy Awards for the film '' The Mask'', in the category of Best Visual Effects. His nomination was shared with Tom Bertino, Scott ...

was seriously injured. According to a lawsuit filed by Farhat in September, a tent was blown off its feet due to severe weather and into him. He was reportedly still bedridden as of June 2024.

References

External links

''Candy Cane Lane''
on

* {{Brian Grazer 2023 comedy films 2020s American films 2020s Christmas comedy films 2020s English-language films Amazon MGM Studios films Amazon Prime Video original films American Christmas comedy films American films with live action and animation Deal with the Devil English-language Christmas comedy films Films directed by Reginald Hudlin Films produced by Brian Grazer Films produced by Eddie Murphy Films scored by Marcus Miller Films shot in Los Angeles Films set in Los Angeles Imagine Entertainment films