#Bobby Farrelly

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Dumb & Dumber (1994)

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"Dear Santa" (2024) Directed by Bobby Farrelly (Comedy/Fantasy/Christmas)

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W 𖤐 T C H I N G

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"They've tried to set him up with Tiffany and Indigo

"But there's something about Mary that they don't know..."

Jonathan Richman (and Tommy Larkins) in There's Something About Mary (1998), dir. Peter and Bobby Farrelly

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On June 28, 1997, Kingpin debuted in Japan.

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Dear Santa Trailer

Let this be a lesson. Spelling is very important, kids.

Dear Santa stars Jack Black, Robert Timothy Smith, Keegan-Michael Key, Brianne Howey, Hayes MacArthur, Post Malone, P.J. Byrne, Jaden Carson Baker, and Kai Cech. The film is directed by Bobby Farrelly. The screenplay is written by Ricky Blitt and Peter Farrelly from a story they concieved with Dan Ewen.

Dear Santa hits Paramount+ and on Digital on November 25, 2024.

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Stuck on You (Bobby & Peter Farrelly, 2003).

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Dear Santa (2024)

While I didn't enjoy this film, that doesn't mean you won't. No matter what I say, the people involved in this project did it: they actually made a movie. That's something to be applauded. With that established...

Dear Santa is a film that doesn’t know where to stand. Luckily, Jack Black’s performance and the original premise are enough to bridge the gap. You categorize the picture as an enjoyable but imperfect PG-13 Holiday comedy. Then, we get to the gigantic pile of coal of a conclusion. It’s such a bad call you have to dismiss the entire film because of it.

Dyslexic 6th-grader Liam Turner (Robert Timothy Smith) mistakenly sends his holiday wishlist to Satan instead of Santa Claus. When “Santa Claus” (Jack Black) appears in his room and offers to grant Liam three wishes for an undisclosed price, he’s initially skeptical – this jolly red fellow doesn’t look like he does on the greeting cards – but accepts. His first wish is for his crush at school, Emma (Kai Cech), to give him a chance.

If I hadn’t told you the film’s MPAA rating, what would you have guessed was the target audience for this movie? Probably the same crowd that saw Sausage Party or Good Boys? Surely not children with the whole “Satan is trying to trick this pre-teen into giving him his soul" thing. The jokes write themselves. Satan needs to grant Liam’s wishes to keep making more. Once he grants that third one, the boy's going straight to Hell. Can Satan fulfill the boy's deepest desires without giving away his true identity? Keep in mind, that those wishes might be harder to fulfill than you think because the kid is… kind of dumb. Infernal powers can only do so much, you know? Before you get upset, I’m not calling Liam dumb because he’s dyslexic. I’m saying he’s dumb because he a) still believes in Santa Claus despite being in the sixth grade and b) Confuses Satan for Santa Claus. This is a comedy so you’re willing to suspend your disbelief. In fact, Liam not realizing something that obvious is the joke. Even so, the part feels like it was meant for someone younger than twelve. The problem is, our protagonist can’t be too young because if he was any littler, his crush on Emma would be weird. It’s still weird now. The screenplay by Ricky Blitt and Peter Farrelly, with Jack Black (who I assume wrote most of his own dialogue because the other two are credited with the story, along with Dan Ewen) does give another reason for why this seemingly dopey kid is so easily tricked by the fallen angel but we’ll get to that a little later and even with that extra reason, he’s still too old to be duped this easily.

The PG-13 rating is not due to violence, gore or frightening imagery. It's due to language as Satan liberally says shit, ass, damn, crap, hell, etc. That wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing. If this movie had tweaked it humour and premise to appeal to younger children, you can see how it would’ve been successful. In fact, it is often successful, thanks to Jack Black. He’s clearly having a great time with this role, he has all the best lines and the funniest scenes. He even plays a pretty good “Santa”. The reason you keep watching despite everything is because of him, and to a certain extent, Robert Timothy Smith. He and Black play off each other well.

Despite the film’s confused identity, I might’ve given it a mild recommendation if it weren’t for the ending. When we learn that Liam’s parents (Brianne Howey as Molly and Hayes MacArthur as Bill) are having marital problems, you think it’s just so they can be kept busy their son runs around with the Prince of Darkness. When you learn the marriage is strained because Liam’s younger brother recently passed away, you think “That’s unusually harsh for a goofy movie like this” but you file it away as an odd decision on top of the choice to waste Keegan-Michael Key as Liam’s psychiatrist and below the scene where Post Malone is magicked into becoming Liam’s best friend. Actually, it’s the crack that will cause the dam to burst. Eventually, Liam proves himself a good boy. His unselfish wishes melt Satan’s heart. As a reward, The Devil resurrects poor, dead Spencer and alters everyone’s memories (save for Liam’s) accordingly. First of all, this contradicts an earlier scene where Satan explicitly says he cannot change history. Second of all, what is this movie trying to say? At best, it’s “If you’re good enough, ANYTHING you want will come true”. At worst, it’s "Send a letter to a demonic entity and you’ll be able to snap the laws of the universe in half.” It’s genuinely upsetting; a complete, jaw-dropping miscalculation.

The "I can’t believe you actually went there” conclusion should make Dear Santa worth a watch but it doesn’t. The film constantly hints at the success it could’ve been but even if it was tonally consistent, the finale leaves you angry and confused. Not in a “What happened?” kind of way; in a “What were they thinking?” kind of way. Again, I feel like I’m making it sound like this is so bad you’ve got to see it for yourself, but it’s merely a letdown. (December 6, 2024)

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Dear Santa (2024) directed by Bobby Farrelly

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Dumb and Dumber To (2014)

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Champions (2023)

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Dear Santa (2024) Review

When Liam Turner makes a crucial spelling mistake in his letter to Santa addressing it to Satan instead, he has a rather interesting Christmas visitor that is about to cause some chaos. ⭐️ Continue reading Dear Santa (2024) Review

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Brothers that are stuck together…stick together.

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On May 4, 1995, Dumb and Dumber debuted in the Czech Republic.

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Title: Osmosis Jones

Rating: PG

Director: Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly

Cast: Chris Rock, Laurence Fishburne, David Hyde Pierce, Brandy, Bill Murray, Molly Shannon, William Shatner, Ron Howard, Sherry Lynn, Mickie McGowan, Chris Elliott, Elena Franklin, Kid Rock, Uncle Kracker, Carlos Alazraqui, Rodger Bumpass, Richard Steven Horvitz

Release year: 2001

Genres: action, comedy, adventure

Blurb: With the help of a cold pill, a white blood cell policeman must stop a deadly virus from destroying the human they live in.