Spirited
Spirited is a 2022 American Christmas musical comedy film that offers a modern, satirical twist on Charles Dickens's classic 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol. Directed by Sean Anders and starring Will Ferrell as the Ghost of Christmas Present and Ryan Reynolds as the 'unredeemable' Clint Briggs, the movie follows the supernatural organization responsible for reforming human souls during the holidays. This adaptation tells the familiar tale from the perspective of the ghosts, exploring themes of redemption, second chances, and the impact of individual actions on the world. The film is a lively musical with elaborate song and dance numbers, blending comedic elements with more dramatic and mature thematic undertones. It targets an audience of older children, teenagers, and adults due to its PG-13 rating and inclusion of suggestive humor, strong language, and intense mature topics.
Concerns
Profanity
HighSpirited features frequent and varied profanity, including mild and scatological curse words, as well as multiple misuses of God's and Jesus' names.
The film includes several uses of the s-word (both completed and abbreviated), and numerous instances of 'a--', 'b--ch,' 'b--tard,' 'd--n,' 'h--,' 'd-ck,' 'p-ss,' 'crap,' and the British vulgarity 'bloody.' God's name is misused nearly 20 times, and Jesus' name is abused once. Obscene hand gestures are also depicted.
Witchcraft & Occult
HighThe entire premise of 'Spirited' revolves around supernatural beings, specifically ghosts (Jacob Marley, Ghost of Christmas Present, Past, and Yet-to-Come) who operate an otherworldly organization. These ghosts actively intervene in human lives to orchestrate redemption, making occult elements central to the plot.
The main characters, including Will Ferrell's Ghost of Christmas Present and Sunita Mani's Ghost of Christmas Past, are supernatural entities. Their 'work' involves observing, guiding, and staging elaborate musical numbers to change a 'perp' (the human target) through visitations to their past, present, and future. Jacob Marley is the head of this ghostly organization.
Scary & Intense Content
HighWhile largely a musical comedy, 'Spirited' contains several intense and potentially frightening elements, including the appearance of a 'terrifying' ghost and, more significantly, a plotline involving implied child suicide due to cyberbullying.
Marley's ghost is described as 'purposefully a bit terrifying'. The Ghost of Christmas Yet-to-Come foretells the suicide of a child (Joshua) who is subjected to intense cyberbullying after Clint Briggs manipulates his niece's election campaign. A vigil is shown for the child, which is called a 'particularly disturbing scene' and 'incredibly dark' by reviewers. Clint is also hit by a bus and killed at one point.
Disrespect & Rebellion
HighThe film centrally features a protagonist, Clint Briggs, who embodies extreme cynicism and manipulativeness, promoting disrespectful and rebellious behavior, particularly in how he advises his niece. This leads to serious real-world consequences within the narrative.
Clint Briggs, a PR consultant, instructs his niece, Wren, to 'tank a few classes' and 'bank a few detentions' to appear relatable for a student council election, promoting dishonesty and a rebellious attitude. He further encourages her to dig up damaging 'dirt' on her opponent, Joshua, leading to a severe cyberbullying campaign and Joshua's implied suicide. Characters are also seen making obscene hand gestures.
Violence
MediumThe film contains a mix of slapstick violence and more serious, thematic violence. While some instances are comedic, others deal with death and the heavy topic of suicide, which is a significant concern.
Examples include a character being grabbed by both shoulder and crotch and slammed down, people running into poles, falling down stairs, and occasionally slapping one another. More intensely, Christmas Yet-to-Come foretells a child's suicide that occurs after cyberbullying, and a vigil is held, which is noted as a 'particularly disturbing scene'. Additionally, a character is hit by a bus and killed.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumThe movie includes suggestive dialogue, flirtation, and implied sexual activity, along with some non-graphic depictions of physical intimacy. Crude jokes and references also contribute to this concern.
The Ghost of Christmas Past is 'quite attracted' to Clint and flirts with him. She returns to base 'disheveled' and muttering 'one thing led to another,' with Christmas Present quips about a 'humpy start'. Clint makes a joke that appears to reference masturbation and discusses getting a client out of a sexual scandal. There is a scene where a man (Present) is seen naked from the waist up in a shower. Carrie, Clint's sister, decides to have a baby on her own through IVF.
Substance Use
MediumThe movie explicitly depicts alcohol consumption, including instances of a character's intoxication, and makes references to drugs.
Clint Briggs' mother is shown as a heavy drinker, seen in a state of inebriation and actively drinking in a couple of scenes during Clint's past. Adult characters are depicted drinking socially at various events, pubs, and parties. There are also mentions of drugs in the dialogue.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumWhile a Christmas-themed movie, 'Spirited' offers a highly secularized retelling of 'A Christmas Carol.' When Christian elements, specifically Jesus' birth, are mentioned, they are presented in a way that can be perceived as dismissive or demeaning by a Christian audience.
The movie is a 'Christmas' story, but any references to Jesus' birth are framed in a manner that can 'feel pretty dismissive, if not even a wee bit demeaning' according to one review. The focus is entirely on a secular system of redemption managed by ghosts rather than any divine or overtly spiritual Christian principles.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
LowComprehensive searches for LGBTQ+ and gender identity content within the 2022 movie 'Spirited' did not yield any specific, canon representation or themes related to LGBTQ+ characters or storylines. Parental review sites and summaries of the film's content do not mention this as a concern. General search results included irrelevant media or broad discussions of LGBTQ+ films from 2022, not specific to this movie's narrative.
No explicit or implied LGBTQ+ characters, relationships, or gender identity discussions were found within the narrative of the 2022 film 'Spirited'. Parental review outlets, including Plugged In and Common Sense Media, do not list LGBTQ+ content as a concern for this movie.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Ages 13 and up. The movie is rated PG-13 due to language, suggestive material, and mature thematic elements, including implied suicide. While younger tweens (10-12) might handle some of the content, the frequent profanity, crude jokes, and serious themes like cyberbullying leading to implied child suicide make it more appropriate for teenagers and adults.
Additional Notes
The film is a musical, featuring numerous song and dance numbers. The comedic styles of Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds contribute to a tone that often balances lightheartedness with the more mature themes being explored. Some critics note the film's length (127 minutes) and a feeling of being 'overstuffed' at times.
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