Movie Review: Norwegian kids scheme to have “Teddy’s Christmas”

“Teddy’s Christmas” is a holiday fantasy for children that’s long on charm and light — to the point of “slight” — in entertainment value.

It’s a Norwegian film (“Teddybjørnens jul”) dubbed for the English-speaking market, and now featuring the voice of Shazam himself, Zachary Levi, as a teddy bear determined to see and experience the world, and thus deadset on going home with somebody “loaded.”

But a little girl who sees and hears magical things figures out he’s special and could foil his sugar daddy search.

“This fellow here was sewn for something much bigger and much greater” than going home with a child.

Mariann (Marte Klerck-Nilssen) keeps getting into trouble for imagining trolls and talking snowmen in her corner of Norway. But when she takes a spin at a carny’s “Wheel of Fate” game, she can’t be sure what she’s seeing. She hit the lucky number. Did that rascally classist and golddigging Teddy change the number?

Maybe his pals, the spinning top and toy pig saw him pull that stunt.

As she scrambles to correct this Teddy altering of fate, the bear goes off to a “rich” guy, which is how he finds himself stuck in a chilly barn with a singing, dancing and questioning hedgehog Bolla (Marianne Graffam) who pauses between attempts to get him to join her in a dancing toys production number to check his grooming?

“So soft and fluffy! Do you use conditioner?”

There’s very little here that will hold the attention of anyone older than six. Lots of snow, a little taste of Norway and its holiday traditions. Rice pudding with dinner, but which lucky family member will get “the almond” in their serving?

Santa is discussed, in a childish existential sense (“Is he real?”) and family problems are addressed in comforting, behavior-correcting ways.

But Levi tones down his shtick for this vocal performance (he’s done a lot of voice work in “Tangled,” “Robot Chicken,” “Family Guy,” etc) and thus denies us anything clever or cute to hang onto.

The CGI talking toys are well-done. There’s a little dancing and a bit of ziplining for your tiny tot’s amusement.

But slim pickings at the “family” holiday box office or not, “Teddy’s Christmas” isn’t really the answer to the quality holiday film shortage this season.

Rating: G

Cast: Marte Klerck-Nilssen, Vegard Strand Eide, Mariann Hole, Jan Gunnar Røise and the voices of Marianne Graffam and Zachary Levi.

Credits: Directed by Andrea Eckerbom, scripted by Lars Gudmestad and Harald Rosenløw-Eeg. A Blue Fox release.

Running time: 1:17

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About Roger Moore

Movie Critic, formerly with McClatchy-Tribune News Service, Orlando Sentinel, published in Spin Magazine, The World and now published here, Orlando Magazine, Autoweek Magazine
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