Merry In-Laws

Nice enough for be moving. first for the eccentric option for George Wendt for Mr. Claus, a bad idea as hypothesis, an admirable result at the end. second - adorable performance of Shelley Long. not the last, the ordinary ingredients for a Christmas movie who, in this case, are more seductive. a film who reminds not exactly the spirit of Christmas but its mark on the family spirit. and this is more than a significant virtue.

I hadn't seen this one before but when I saw it had two Cheers stars back together I knew I had to give it a watch. I'm glad I did as it was a lot of fun.

"Merry In-Laws" is a TV film made in Canada for the 2012 Christmas season. It's a fantasy and comedy romance that's mostly goofy while taking pokes at science. The plot isn't original - the son of Santa Claus, Peter, is in the real world and plans to get married. Alex and her parents need to meet his parents.

Oh, yes. Alex is a single mom who has a cute little boy - another established trait for many of these holiday films. But this film is a little fuzzy on her son's father. Her dad, Steven (played by Greg Lawson), is a scientist and mentions something about her attending a Stephen Hawking program when she was just 18 - against his wishes, where she apparently became pregnant.

There's very little plot and not much acting in this fantasy fiasco. Lucas Bryant, who pays Peter, spends much of his screen time tongue-tied and making goofy faces. George Wendt and Shelley Long as Mr. and Claus are mostly silly. Alex's mom, Joyce (played by Barb Mitchell), is a frustrated psychologist married to the science airhead Steven. Steven and Joyce too are silly in much of their roles.

One could tell this movie wasn't intended for family viewing right away. Peter and Alex are living and sleeping together, with her son in her home, even before they are engaged. This film is mostly a goofy hodgepodge with nothing to recommend it.

This movie relies heavily on exaggerated extremes for humor. Alex is a rigid realist with no room for video games or Santa Clause. Her father is worse, if that's possible. He has never heard of tact. In fact he seems bound and determined to offend Peter and his family from the start. Meanwhile Peter's father is actually Santa Claus.

Much of the movie is the Claus family's frivolity vs the Spencers' judgmentalism. It makes for a lot of fun situations. Throw in efforts to hide the secret. I wish Alex's dad wasn't SO mean. I find it hard to laugh when I want to throw something sharp and lethal at one of the characters.

In this type of movie, acting is hard to judge. George Wendt and Shelley Long play their parts well even when some silliness is required. Kassia Warshawski has moments, good and bad, but mostly good. Lucas Bryant has some awful moments, especially when he gets nervously excited.

Don't go by my rating. Alex's dad ruined it for me and this type of humor isn't my favorite.

It's just plain good old new fashioned Christmas hokum. Don't start this movie with any preconceived notions. I did--and it wasn't a good idea. Allow the fun of a Christmas fantasy to take you out even just for a little while into a world of real make believe. Don't make of it something that it never intended to be in the first place. BUT, if you are uncertain of your ability to separate reality from fantasity, you probably ought not watch this. But if you can, there will be more than a few moments of amusement--no great belly laffs but a lot of fun nevertheless.