A Christmas Story 2

Movie review by Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media
A Christmas Story 2 Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 9+

Silly jokes abound, but it's no original Christmas Story.

PG 2012 85 minutes
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Parents say

age 6+

Based on 3 reviews

Kids say

age 9+

Based on 3 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that A Christmas Story 2 is the sequel to the classic 1983 period comedy, A Christmas Story. The language is fairly strong for a family film -- several instances of "son of a bitch," for example, and deals more with adolescent attraction (Ralphie is smitten with the prettiest girl in his class) than the original. Otherwise there's the standard physical comedy and silly jokes that will make kids laugh aloud. Like with the first Christmas Story, the overarching message is that no matter what you get, the important thing about the holidays is spending them with family.

Community Reviews

Lowe's man
Lowe's man Adult
November 29, 2016
age 9+

Not as good as the original, but better than most sequels.

Although this doesn't stand up to the original, it is better than most sequels. It includes the old gags, such as opening up Aunt Clara's gift on Christmas morning. Ralphie's obsessions are still there, but, instead of a toy gun, he is obsessed with a girl and a used car. In other words, while the concept of Ralphie's obsessions are still there, the objects of his obsessions are different. In both movies they were age-appropriate. This movie also shows when friends are the cause or the source of problems, as Ralphie had plenty of them when he and his friends all worked in the department store. Things were especially problematic when they were all placed together. Ralphie did much better, by contrast, when he worked there all by himself. His boss was also generous to let him come back. The owner of the used car dealership was generous too. A great movie. The only problem with regards to children under 9 watching is the use of the b word.
Mindymom
Mindymom Adult
December 23, 2014
age 8+
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

This sequel to A Christmas Story follows an older (but still bespectacled) Ralphie Parker (Braeden Lemasters), who's now nearly 16 years old and wants something a lot more sophisticated than a Red Ryder BB gun; he wants a used car the local auto dealer has brought back to its original beauty. He also wants his class' prettiest and most popular girl Drucilla Gootrad (Tiera Skovbye) to fall for him. After he accidentally crashes the car, Ralphie and his two best friends take low-paying jobs at a local department store. Back home, Old Man Parker (Daniel Stern) is still battling his appliances and mom is still bundling little brother for the snow.

Is It Any Good?

Although A Christmas Story is a holiday classic that families can and should enjoy watching together every December, the same cannot be said for this direct-to-DVD sequel. This movie is neither necessary nor nearly as humorous as the original. Yes, the filmmakers did find an actor who could believably be the older version of Peter Billingsley's apple-cheeked, pale-blond Ralphie, and Stern is a passable Old Man.

But, a teenager drooling over a car (and a girl) is not nearly as interesting as 9-year-old Raphie's obsession with the possibility of a BB gun, and a high schooler getting his tongue stuck in suction pipe isn't quite as hilarious (it's more just gross) than a little boy making good on the double-dog-dare of all dares. There are a couple of laughs, but ultimately this is a far inferior follow up to the timeless original.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the relationship between Ralphie and his dad. Is "The Old Man" as cranky in this as he was in the first Christmas Story?

  • How does the sequel compare to the original? Do you think it's as funny as the first Christmas Story?

  • How has Ralphie's Christmas wish matured since he wanted his Red Ryder BB gun?

Movie Details

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