Jingle All The Way (1996)

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This is what they call the mother of all guilty pleasures. No matter how bad it should be, you just can’t help but love it.

It’s got Arnie as Howard, a shitty father trying to buy his son’s love with the hottest toy action figure of the Christmas season. Only problem is that the toy is sold out everywhere as he tries to find the toy on Christmas Eve. Along the way, he encounters Sinbad as the mailman father looking for the same toy. An unhealthy competition develops between them as they race from toy store to toy store.

Phil Hartman plays Ted, the divorced neighbor, goody two shoes who is always macking on the neighborhood housewives. Specifically, he detects that Arnie is the neglectful husband and tries to swoop in as the nurturing type who’s always there. Liz, played by Rita Wilson, doesn’t buy it.

There are so many great Arnie one-liners and the pace is excellent. The only real problem I have with the movie is the kid. He’s the most annoying SOB, and he was Anakin in the Star Wars prequel. Any other kid would have been better.

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