Santa, Jr. Reviews

Mark Hershon's unoriginal screenplay crosses a love-struck romantic comedy with a traditional Christmas kid's picture, and the results are as lame as seasonal entertainment can be. Afraid that he won't make his deadline, Santa Claus's impetuous son, Santa Jr. (Nick Stabile), jumps the gun and starts his Christmas gift-giving route ahead of schedule. But he gets himself into a jam that neither his father nor his personal elf, Stan (Ed Gale), can fix: Santa Jr. lands in San Diego in the middle of a crime spree by Santa impersonator named Wally (Rodger Bumpass)! Taken into custody by Detective Daryl Bedford (Judd Nelson), Santa Jr. sticks to his far-fetched story of identity theft. Public defender Susan (Lauren Holly) reluctantly handles Santa Jr.’s case and gives him temporary lodging in her home while he’s under house arrest. Because Detective Bedford has appropriated Santa Jr.'s gift sack, Stan starts scouring garbage dumps in an effort to whip up some recycled goodies to replace the gifts. Meanwhile, believed Santa Jr. stole the gifts in the sack, police department employees help themselves to holiday goodies. Despite Susan's lack of holiday cheer, Santa Jr. decorates her home and slowly melts her frozen sense of wonderment. Susan and Detective Bedford begin dating and the Santa burglar drops by Susan's house to threaten Santa Jr. To Wally's surprise, Santa Jr. ties him up with Christmas lights and slips his own house-arrest bracelet on the imposter. Is there time for Santa Jr. to make things right before Christmas? Although Stabile and Gale are skillful comic foils, stars Nelson and Holly are more strident than charming.