Dear Santa

Better than expected, but still not great. This Christmas comedy features Jack Black in a show-stealing performance, but even his antics can't rescue the movie from some dubious plot developments and a dreary backstory.

The film's setup is that a dyslexic 6th grade boy tries to write a letter to Santa, but mistakenly sends it to Satan, played by Jack Black, who has some truly great lines. Our young hero, per Christmas movie protocols, is too good for his situation, throwing the deal with the devil into jeopardy. In the background, you have a dysfunctional mother and father whose relationship needs saving and a dead sibling, which comes out of left field later in the film.

Overall, it's more fun than expected, and Jack Black really carries the movie, but the rest is too filled with awkward moments and inexplicable plot developments. I would have given it a 6/10, but I knocked an entire point off for the ending.