Olive, the Other Reindeer review
Olive is a small dog with a big
heart… who loves Christmas more than any other day of the year. When she
hears an announcement that due to one of his reindeer being injured, Santa
Claus may cancel Christmas unless “all of the other reindeer” help
out, Olive (voiced by Drew Barrymore) becomes convinced that he really said
“Olive, the other reindeer,” and sets out on an unlikely mission to
convince Santa that she’s the right dog (uh, reindeer) for the job. Along the
way she meets a variety of characters who either befriend her, like Martini the
escaped zoo penguin (voiced by Joe Pantoliano) or hinder her, like a deranged
postman.
Olive, the Other Reindeer
may very well entertain the younger set, but the audience who will appreciate
it more is adults. This short animated film purports to tell a fairly
straightforward story, along the lines of so many other Christmas specials:
Christmas is in danger, and everyone is sad, but Olive will save the day and
bring the Christmas spirit to everyone! And on that level, it’s an entertaining
story; what makes it more fun is how it tweaks the conventions along the way,
and handles the whole thing with a wry and adult wit.
Olive, the Other Reindeer
picks up on the familiar Christmas plot of “We must save Christmas!”
and gives it a remarkably realistic spin. You might be wondering how I could
use the word “realistic” in the context of a film about a talking dog
who decides to fill in as a flying reindeer, but it’s true. We all know that
“Christmas specials” are really about people, emotions, and
relationships; the “Christmas miracle” of the standard holiday film
is generally brought about by people suddenly finding kindness and fellowship
in their hearts. What we find in Olive, the Other Reindeer is that most
of the characters are… well, a lot like real people. Her owner Tim takes out
his frustrations on her after learning that Santa is about to cancel Christmas.
Her new friend Martini is happy to let Olive help him stay out of trouble, but
hesitant to go out on a limb for her. The people she meets on her voyage to the
North Pole range from apathetic to actively hostile. Yet the film doesn’t
become cynical; in contrast, it maintains an upbeat tone, with a smidgen of
ironic acknowledgment of human nature.
Another aspect of Olive, the
Other Reindeer that struck me as nicely done is how the film neatly
sidesteps any religious aspects of the holiday. Santa Claus-like figures appear
in a number of different folklores, not necessarily related at all to the
Christian aspect of the holiday; he’s a figure who stands for generosity and
the spirit of goodwill and charity, which are cross-cultural virtues.
Have you ever noticed that just
about every animated film has some musical numbers? So does Olive, the Other
Reindeer… except that they’re witty and slightly parodic of the typical
sappy songs that get shoehorned into so many animated features. The two
contemporary-style songs here are quite well done, and will certainly bring a
laugh to viewers. Visually, Olive, the Other Reindeer is distinctive as
well; it’s a startling mix of 3D and 2D animation, with a definite slant toward
the abstract.
In the end, Olive, the Other
Reindeer pokes fun at the whole holiday hullabaloo, but it does so in a
gentle and ultimately kind-hearted way. We all know that life isn’t really so
simple as it is in Olive’s world, where ensuring that Santa delivers his
presents is enough to bring happiness to all… but the cheerful ending
nonetheless reminds us that happiness and goodwill are worth striving for, and
that we can achieve more than we think, if we don’t just give up. As far as
messages for younger viewers go, that’s a good one in my book.
