#25: Film Review: Jingle Jangle A Christmas Journey

When I first saw the trailer for Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey on Netflix, I was not interested at first. As Christmas quickly approaches there is a flood of holiday films and TV shows, so it was easy to think of the film as yet another Christmas film recycling the same boring concepts and themes. What got me hooked was when one of the key characters, played by Madalen Mills, says early in the film, “Being great it’s good and all, but being different sure is tough.” It immediately hinted that the character is Neurodiverse and I quickly identified and empathized.

Watching the film with Neurodiversity in mind, many of the key themes and character struggles resonated with me and it will resonate with many others as well. For example, being able to see and visualize advanced concepts that others cannot see. In fact one of the best quotes was from another key character, played by Forest Whitaker (From Rouge One), when he says, “Never be afraid when people can’t see what you see. Only be afraid if you no longer see it.” It is a very emotional theme about how believing in yourself is as powerful as magic.

Other areas that Neurodiverse people will be able to identify with include: Difficulties expressing emotions, feeling out of place, not believing in themselves, and being trapped in a mental cage of doubt. To counter that, the music is very powerful, empowering, and uplifting with lyrics such as: “It’s all possible. Watch me rise high above my obstacles. Watch me become who I’m supposed to be. Oh the possibilities. Don’t tell me it’s too far to go, I know that I’m unstoppable, cause the square root of impossible is me.” Very powerful messages for people to hear.

Another key theme is imagination. The film contrasts Madalen Mills’s character from Forest Whitaker’s. Madalen Mills’s character is full of hope and imagination, while Forest Whitaker’s character is the direct opposite. The struggles of Forest Whitaker’s character will be relatable to many, especially in this point in history where many people have suffered with mental health issues and depression, loss of friends and family, and personal failures. The character’s appearance also changes from young, hopeful, happy, and excited at the very beginning of the film to old, depressed, defeated, and hopeless. It is in many ways a personification of how the character feels on the inside as well.

The ending was no surprise, and some will disagree with its atypical Christmas ending. For me, the film’s ending with a message of hope and family is even more powerful this year. A Harry Potter quote says it best, “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” Highly recommended!

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer or company.