Study Break: ‘A Very Murray Christmas’ review
Photo credit: Yotube
After a blizzard traps New Yorkers in their homes, Bill Murray is forced to do his live Christmas TV special in front of no one.
An understandably depressed Murray has an existential crisis while stuck in a place he really does not want to be. This odd, tonal beginning may be due to the fact Murray teamed up with his “Lost in Translation” director Sofia Coppola again. It may not sound like a great start, but things only get better from there.
Each scene in “A Very Murray Christmas” is glued together with Murray either singing a Christmas jingle by himself or duetting with someone else. The songs Murray and others sing bring energy and momentum to the story while serving great, emotional beats. These songs are the subconscious subtext characters feel, making the audience become familiar with and care about everybody from Murray to the cook in the back kitchen.
Caring about Murray is easy, but enjoying him sing had potential to be a complete disaster. Surprisingly, watching Murray sing Christmas melodies is fun. He can carry a tune in “12 Days of Christmas,” and listening to him duet with Miley Cyrus is an unexpected treat.
“A Very Murray Christmas” is certainly a Murray-good time for all.
George Johnston can be reached at [email protected] or @gjohnston786 on Twitter.
