Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fun holiday action comedy has peril, innuendo, language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Candy Cane Lane
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 23 parent reviews
Parents say this movie has received overwhelmingly negative feedback for its inappropriate content, including language and sexual innuendos that contradict its PG rating, leading many to question its suitability for family viewing. Several reviews express disappointment over its disregard for Christmas's religious significance, suggesting it is not only offensive to Christian values but also fails to deliver a coherent and entertaining story, leaving viewers feeling that it lacks both substance and humor.
- inappropriate content
- not family friendly
- lacks substance
- offensive to beliefs
- poorly written and chaotic
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 8 kid reviews
What's the Story?
Chris Carver (Eddie Murphy) is a Christmas-obsessed husband and father who competes with his neighbors each year on CANDY CANE LANE to see who can create the most extravagant holiday lawn decorations. Wife Carol (Tracee Ellis Ross) and teen children Nick (Thaddeus J. Mixson) and Joy (Genneya Walton) put up with his seasonal mania, while younger daughter Holly (Madison Thomas), who still believes in the magic of Christmas, collaborates with him. When Chris loses his job on the eve of the holidays, winning the year's decorating prize becomes even more important to him. He and Holly discover an out-of-the-way store with seasonal goods called Kringle's, run by an eccentric woman named Pepper (Jillian Bell). What Chris doesn't know is that when he signs the receipt at Kringle's, he's signing over his life to Pepper, who turns out to be a fallen elf with magical powers. He'll have one chance to save himself before he's turned into a glass figurine, like others before him.
Is It Any Good?
Fast-paced, inventive, and amusing, this film is a memorable holiday-themed movie. That's due principally to gifted performers Murphy and Ellis Ross, who craftily toe the line between the rational and the absurd in Candy Cane Lane. Their droll banter and interactions may be scripted, but it takes two pros to convey the familiarity and mutual understanding of a long-married couple. Likewise, even as wacky events are unfolding all around them, the Carver family members are each experiencing realistic, down-to-earth troubles of their own. These keep the film grounded and allow for a satisfying closure.
In the interim, the action involving shrunken victims (Nick Offerman among them) and aggressive creatures plucked from the "12 Days of Christmas" jingle is entertaining and nimble. Bell brings the fairy-tale embellishment as the maniacal elf (with her similar role in Good Burger 2, she could be getting type-cast). Sure, the film might have tried to squeeze in a few too many ideas and characters (the cable anchors, for starters), but it all happens so fast that there's just not enough time to get annoyed before Holly "hugs the thug" and Black Santa swoops in to save the day.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what the family members take away from their experiences in Candy Cane Lane. What does each learn?
What are some of the characters' misconceptions of what Christmas is all about? What do the holidays mean for you and your family?
Why is Pepper bitter? Why has she turned into an evil elf? How does Holly treat her in the end?
Candy Cane Lane is a real place in El Segundo, California. Where could you find more information about it?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : December 1, 2023
- Cast : Eddie Murphy , Tracee Ellis Ross , Jillian Bell
- Director : Reginald Hudlin
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Director(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Prime Video
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Holidays
- Run time : 116 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language throughout and some suggestive references
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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