Jesper, a disappointment to his wealthy father, is sent as a postmaster to the feuding village of Smeerensburg. If he doesn’t deliver 6,000 letters by the end of the year, his father will cut him off. With the help of Alva, the local schoolteacher, and Klaus, the reclusive toymaker, Jesper manages to warm the hearts of those around him and we all learn where Santa came from (possibly).
By using CGI lighting techniques with hand-drawn animation, director, Sergio Pablos, creates a beautiful animation style, unlike the more recent purely computer-generated animation. It is refreshing and suits this long-ago Christmas tale set in a snowy landscape. The whole project was 10 years in development with many studios not wishing to take a risk with it.
This is definitely a ‘get your jammies on and sit round the fire’ type of film. It is funny and touching. Note the PG certificate as younger children may be saddened by one of the themes.
Certificate: PG
1 hour 36 min
NETFLIX
Director: Sergio Pablos, Carlos Martinez Lopez
Cast: Jason Schwartzman, J K Simmons, Rashida Jones
