The real showstopper is Ryan Reynolds’ introductory number “Bringin’ Back Christmas,” performed as a TED Talk at a corporate banquet. This is followed by “Present’s Lament,” as Ferrell reveals a bittersweet side to the holiday rush of constantly giving one’s self to others. In “Spirited,” they kick off the fun with the razzle dazzle of “That Christmas Morning Feelin’,” capturing the hope and cheer of the holiday season while introducing the behind-the-scenes operation of the ghosts. Speaking of Broadway, “Spirited” boasts a deceptively deep musical songbook, written by the dynamic duo of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who wrote “Waving Through a Window” for Broadway’s “Dear Evan Hansen” (2016) before going into movie musicals with “City of Stars” in “La La Land” (2016) and “Never Enough” in “The Greatest Showman” (2017). (Random local trivia: Page recently played The Bard’s best baddies in the one-man-show “All the Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented the Villain” at Shakespeare Theatre Company in D.C., after Playbill lovingly named him “The Villain of Broadway.”) They’re surrounded by Octavia Spencer (“The Help”) as Clint’s assistant Kimberly, who joined him when he stormed out like “Jerry Maguire ” Sunita Mani (“Save Yourselves”), who shines as a fawning Christmas Past Tracy Morgan (“SNL”), who spits zingers as Christmas Future and Patrick Page (“The Gilded Age”), who is a strong Jacob Marley. Who doesn’t root for Christmas taming a bad boy? This time, he’s perfectly cast as the cocky tech tycoon - think a handsome version of Elon Musk. If you liked Bill Murray in Richard Donner’s “Scrooged” (1988), you’ll love Ryan Reynolds in “Spirited.” His brand of lovable snark made Marvel’s “Deadpool” (2012) a smash. Ferrell’s endearing charm reminds us that smiling is indeed our favorite. Nearly 20 years after his “fish out of water” classic “Elf” (2003), Will Ferrell returns to the holiday genre as a “fish tired of being in the water.” He wants to leave the supernatural realm and settle down for a normal life, like the angel in Wim Wenders’ “Wings of Desire” (1987). Marley begs him to do one last job: Attempting to convert an “unredeemable” in the cocky social-media tycoon Clint Briggs (Ryan Reynolds). Set in a festive afterlife, the Ghost of Christmas Present (Will Ferrell) approaches his longtime colleague Jacob Marley (Patrick Page) about potential retirement after saving souls on Christmas Eve. Just when you thought the story couldn’t endure another fresh take, along comes Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds in “Spirited,” now streaming on Apple TV+, focusing not merely on a Scrooge figure but the behind-the-scenes operation of the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, like the North Pole in Tim Allen’s “The Santa Clause” (1994). Scott in 1984, not to mention the animated Scrooge McDuck in 1983 and those lovable Muppets in 1992. My personal favorite Scrooge of all time remains Alastair Sim in 1951, followed by the great George C.
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