‘Jingle Jangle’: A Christmas Movie Review

Jingle Jangle is the typical feel good Christmas film. It entails the usual predictable plot of hardship and redemption, but it is worth every minute.

Jeronicus Jingle was a man of joy and prosperity. He loved life and lived every moment like his last. Unfortunately, one of his own students, Gustafson stole one of his holiday toy themed inventions. Because of this, Jeronicus’ business Jangles and Thingssuffered severely over the years. He ran out of funds and popularity to keep the place afloat, and after an investor refused to loan him money, Jeronicus was left with no other choice but to close the business for good. 

The storyline really starts when Journey, Jeronicus’ granddaughter, comes to visit him so they could bond and catch up. After Journey arrives, Jeronicus is hesitant to have any company. However, he eventually stops being so stubborn and allows her to stay. Journey becomes mesmerized by how creative Jeronicus is when she notices all his stashed inventions and formulas. She encourages him to finish the things he started, but he insists that it won’t be successful. Meanwhile, Gustafson finds out about one of Jeronicus’ new inventions. He tries to steal that idea by talking to Journey, but she quickly stops him in his tracks.

Journey spends the majority of the film trying to resurrect the work that Jeronicus has ultimately thrown away. With the help of her buddy Edison, Journey convinces Jeronicus that he is worthy of a huge comeback and his toy ideas will be successful. They first have to go through a little drama before any positivity shows up though. After spying on Journey and Edison testing out one of Jeronicus’ toys, Gustafson steals it and shows it off at his toy shop. Luckily, the toy mysteriously fails to work in front of the audience. The two then figure out a way to retrieve it before any more mischievous behavior is carried out.

It would have been interesting if the film focused a little more on Gustafson’s life and why he always felt the need to steal ideas from Jeronicus. Did he feel inadequate or jealous? The two were very similar in how clever they were with creating toy machines. It really made no sense how desperate Gustafson was to portray Jeronicus’s ideas as his own.

Jessica also decides to return to Jangles and Thingsto help convince Jeronicus that his creativity is meant to be shared with the people who supported him in the past and as well as new friends. They end their years long period of separation and become close with one another again.

It’s amazing how a girl so young could encourage her grandfather to become alive again and believe in himself. She did what the adults in town could not do. She helped him redeem his toy inventions, expose Gustafson for being a thief and gain his popularity back with the citizens in their hometown. At the time of the re-opening of Jangles and Things, the bank investor returned and informed Jeronicus that they would offer him a lifetime of loans whenever he needed it.

The film teaches the importance of being kind to others. It also shows how the most simple gestures can produce the happiest rewards.