Read the full review here.
This is the rare childhood favorite that just gets better and better as I get older.
The animation is simple and great and funny, with a shagginess that befits the story. The voicework, too, gets tremendous value and authenticity from being voiced by real kids.
But it’s two things that really elevate this into masterpiece territory: the protagonist and the jazz.
Charlie Brown is the perfect lens into holiday blues and existential crises, fueled equally by self-defeating skepticism and idealistic hope for something more profound from the season.
And Vince Guaraldi’s music is beautiful on its own, but magical synergy with the special. The film and the music bring out richness in the other.
The ending is unabashedly a Christian perspective on the holiday, yet I find it to be something more universal than that. It shows the holidays to be a time for reflection and new beginnings. I honestly think it’s beautiful.
Is It Good?
Masterpiece: Tour De Good (8/8)
Note: This review was originally published elsewhere. Please excuse brevity or inconsistencies in style. If you have questions or feedback, please leave a comment or contact me.
Dan is the founder and head critic of The Goods. Follow Dan on Letterboxd. Join the Discord for updates and discussion.