Klaus

• Written and Directed by Sergio Pablos (Directorial Debut)
• November 18, 2019
• Netflix

Voice Cast

• Jesper Johansen-Jason Schwartzman
• Klaus (Santa Claus), Drill Sarge-J. K. Simmons
• Alva-Rashida Jones
• Márgu-Neda Margrethe Labba
• Krum Clan matriarch Mrs. Tammy Krum-Joan Cusack as
• Ellingboe Clan patriarch Mr. Aksel Ellingboe-Will Sasso
• Captain Mogens-Norm Macdonald (final role)
• Olaf Krum, Pumpkin Ellingboe-Sergio Pablos as:
• The Postmaster General-Sam McMurray

A postman sent to an isolated town in the Far North in an effort to get him to grow up befriends a reclusive woodsman and toymaker.

Klaus is another Christmas traditions origin story that eschews other origins and crafts one mostly of its own. Such narratives in visual form have been around for as long as I can remember. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and many more have all engaged in a fanciful telling of how certain Christmas traditions or even Santa came to be. This follows that vaunted tradition.

But its focus is not necessarily Santa (though he is a major factor). Rather it is Jesper Johansen who is the pampered son of the Postmaster General who as a last desperate act by his father to get his son to grow up. Jesper comes to the hellhole of Smeerensburg which has thrived for generations on feuding illustrated comically so. In desperation to complete his task Jesper accidentally begins a path to personal growth.

Smeerensburg is a town where hopes and dreams come to die as exemplified by the teacher Alva who eventually becomes the love interest of Jesper. A simple act of kindness always sparks another. That is what moves the plot along and a phrase that gets spoken quite regularly throughout. Things don’t begin to really change until our main character starts doing the right thing because it is the right thing and not because he just wants to go home. For example Jesper’s acts of kindness and good deeds inspire Alva to embrace her goal and re-open the school which she had turned into a fish market to make enough money to leave.

And how can we forget to talk about the titular Klaus. In the story he is a woodsman living alone far from the town and has a vast collection of toys that he has never given away. Why is he living alone and why does he have all these toys that he made? That’s part of the story that unfolds and gives this film much of its deeper emotional impact.

Klaus has a surprising amount of heart and warmth to it and tugs at the emotions. We soon learn that Klaus is a wounded soul mourning the death of his wife and that the toys were done in preparation for the family that they so desperately wished to start but could not. And what makes it special is this revelation isn’t done in a toss away manner but is actually core to the character. It’s what drives much of what he does and his willingness to engage in these toy deliveries to help bring joy as well as good behavior to the local children.

By and large there is very little magic in this story with things being as grounded as one can get in an animated film like this. We get explanations on the lore of flying reindeer, why letters are sent, and so much more with much of the more fantastical elements being misconstrued events. That started to get on my nerves a bit. I wanted some kind of magic in this movie but somehow it kept my attention.

The animation of Klaus is beautiful with a rather distinctive style. You need to look like you give your film a style or your company maintains a style and this does that in spades. It’s vibrant and engaging without being bland.

This is just a visually stunning and well directed film. It has character arcs and it is focused on the season rather than using the season as an excuse to tell a disposable story. And the story is genuinely funny. The humor isn’t at the expense of the characters but because of the characters. Nobody is really the butt of a joke. The situations are odd and silly and it will put a smile on your face.

The moral of the story is that good deeds have a great effect. One starts another and another. Jesper’s good deeds change the town of Smeerensburg for the better. Those good deeds inspire others and slowly make things better. It is a simple lesson but one we all need.

The closing of the story that sets up things in perpetuity is simply effective, and poignant. It will move you. It just made me want to cry. It was that well done and I don’t often get moved when watching film or television. It is sweet as well as explaining how Santa is able to do what he does.

Klaus is a wonderful addition to the voluminous list of Christmas films. It will tug at your heart and give you some real laughs and will definitely become a holiday favorite. I highly recommend it!