12 Reviews of Christmas - Mr. St. Nick (2002)

        Hey guys, Chuck here, and we're almost at the end of 12 Reviews of Christmas. So, today, I'm diving in to a 2002 made-for-television Christmas comedy Mr. St. Nick, starring Kelsey Grammer, Ana Ortiz, Elaine Hendrix, Brian Bedford, Wallace Shawn, Katherine Helmond, and Charles Durning. Now, I remember when it first aired as part of ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney, and was easily a lot of fun when I was a kid. 

        So, the movie establishes that the North Pole is overseen by the royal family of Von Claus, with the mantle of Santa being passed from father to son. The current Santa is King Nicholas XX, who has served as Santa for a hundred years, and his son will be King Nicholas XXI. Unfortunately, Nicholas XXI, who moonlights under the name of Nick St. Nicholas, is living the sweet life as a playboy in Miami, and is completely uninterested in becoming Santa, much to the chagrin of his father, as well as his butler Jasper, who is an elf. 

        One day, after his longtime cook resigns, Jasper finds a new cool for Nick in the form of Lorena, who is very skilled, and is genuinely kind and caring, as she is responsible for Danny, who is Lorena's nephew. Meanwhile, Nick is taking an interest in local weather reporter Heidi Gardelle, even to the point of proposing to her. And, around this time, Nick is convinced into starting an online charity called MrSaintNick.com, which is believed to be for helping children, but the charitable money is being funneled into an offshore account in the Cayman Islands set up by Heidi and her accomplice, Hector. 

        As the movie progresses, Nick's father's Santa powers are leaving him, and they are going to Nick, as he begins to exhibit signs of being jolly, hearing the Christmas wishes of children, being able to tell apart naughty and nice children, etc. Also, the Northern Lights appear over Miami, snow falls.in Miami, and so much more happens because Nick is becoming Santa. This causes father and son to get closer in more ways than one. Also, we see Lorena become more prominent in Nick's life, and the two start to form a bond. Unfortunately, the bond between Nick and Lorena, which grows over the course of the movie, and this proves a threat to Heidi. And, when Heidi gives Nick an ultimatum, Lorena leaves to make the choice easier. However, Nick's mother has an instant dislike for Heidi, and when the scam is discovered, Nick ends things with her. Unfortunately, Nick is busted for the scam, and ends up arrested. 

         However, it's luck that Nick now has the powers of Santa, as he's able to get free, and as he realizes that he truly loves Lorena, who Nick's parents both like, he asks her to marry him, and she accepts. Heidi and Hector are busted on a plane bound for the Cayman Islands, and are arrested for their scam. Nick officially becomes Santa, with Lorena as Mrs. Claus. The new Santa takes off in the sleigh, along with Lorena and Danny, and wishes the viewers "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight." 

         Now, the big selling point of Mr. St. Nick at the time was the popularity of lead star Kelsey Grammer, who was particularly famous for his titular role on Frasier, and the movie was informally, and hilariously, referred to as Frasier Claus. But, despite the humorous moniker, it was a genuinely fun holiday romp that is still fun to watch more than twenty years later. 

        Kelsey Grammer was easily the main draw, and was absolutely hilarious as Nick, but it was his banter with Brian Bedford as Jasper that really cracked me up, and both Grammer and Bedford were easily the funniest part of the movie. Now, while Elaine Hendrix has been enjoyable in a number of projects, I felt like her performance in this was too similar to her role in Nancy Meyers' remake of Disney's The Parent Trap with Dennis Quaid and Lindsay Lohan. Ana Ortiz, on the other hand, was very likeable as Lorena, and her scenes with Kelsey Grammer's Nick were a favorite of mine. And, I will admit it was awesome seeing Kelsey Grammer in full Santa attire at the end of the movie, with a beard and everything.

         The concept of Santa being a mantle passed from father to son is very unique, as is the idea of the Claus family being a royal line. And, while seeing both Charles Durning and Katherine Helmond as the current Santa and Mrs. Claus, I like how the movie is about the next generation taking over, and seeing Nick and Lorena as the next Santa and Mrs. Claus was really neat. Unfortunately, the B-plot of a charity website being a scam was really unnecessary. Now, while it doesn't completely drag the movie down for me, it did feel like an unnecessary conflict given that the primary one of Nick reluctantly gaining the powers of Santa was more than enough. 

        Overall, I genuinely have fun watching Mr. St. Nick, and I give it a rating of 4.85/5. Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and we'll be wrapping up 12 Reviews of Christmas tomorrow with Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol.