How does one take an animated TV series and make it live-action. The idea of taking animation into live-action isn't new, but in many cases it's derided. If you are a fan of animated movies and TV shows, the idea of turning them into live-action can be a little jarring.
The Loud House is probably one of the few animated projects that could possibly work in live-action with some tender care. In 2020, there was an announcement that a live-action Christmas movie was going to be made, and then, some sort of virus came around and stopped stuff and there was no time for it to be made and Christmas movies tend to be more valuable around Christmas time. Then in 2021, they announced it's coming.
"A Loud House Christmas" premiered on Nickelodeon on November 26, 2021, and also on their streaming service Paramount Plus ( Which doesn't have Becker on it) .
Now time for the boring part (what all that above was not exciting). If you don't know what "The Loud House" is, it's an animated series from Nickelodeon about an 11-year-old boy named Lincoln Loud the gimmick is that he also has ten sisters. The early seasons focus on Lincoln and how he navigates life with his sisters. Later the series, It gives focus towards the family, then focus on giving the sisters different episodes of their own, and giving Lincoln time with his friends and expanding their world. It's been on for 5 seasons (as of this post) and has been renewed for 6th season (as of this post). Also in that fifth season they've moved the series up a year where the characters either are 1 year older than start or in different grades almost a year older. All the sisters have 4 letter names and start with L as well. That's all the non Loud House people need to know to watch the movie. The people who know the show , know the show.
This is the story of a boy who cried a river of tears and ... oops wrong thing, Let's go!
This isn't a long movie. that's one thing to know, it's about 64 minutes and that's fine for a TV movie. The sets for the show are a good look, they took the care and attention to make the movie sets look like the cartoon, they really did in the work and I'm going to put this here: for set design 10/10.
good set work too / Copyright ViacomCBS
The movie starts with Christmas time being noted, but you will notice it's not snowing or there's no snow on the ground, which means that will come in the near the end because that's how this works. My Christmases were never filled with snow so it feels more realistic anyway. The movie does have a hallmark (not the channel) from the early days of the show where Lincoln talks to us, the audience, the movie starts off with him doing it and will have him do it few more times through out. (Good, since he's explaining stuff, I don't have to, I'm going to take 5) He ordered a special gift for his family, and the opening of the movie establishes the other characters and how his family is around at Christmas.
Look at this frog!/ Copyright ViacomCBS
He mentions that around his house, Christmas has traditions, remember this for later. You get a few seconds with each sister but learn about their personalities pretty quickly. If this is your entry into the show, they are doing a good job of making you figure out the characters' notes pretty well. For the fans, you will be pleased at how accurately they got the characters down.
They stare at you/ Copyright ViacomCBS
Most of the actors in this movie aren't part of the show , but they did get two voice actors to play in the movie as roles they play on the show. Brian Stepanek, who voices the father, Lynn Sr., plays the same character. He's done live-action TV shows before like "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" and "Nicky, Ricky, Dicky, and Dawn". They also brought in Catherine Taber, who voices Lori, the eldest sister, Girl Jordan, and Katherine Mulligan, the news reporter, to play the news reporter.
Oh good she's pointing out Katherine for us/ Copyright ViacomCBS
Lincoln's package shows up, and I wonder what could be in that sled shaped package? (bacon) He's a Loud boy in a Loud world, life in action, it's fantastic. that's boring, we need some plot. Let's see...Lori, the eldest sister, calls from college, and she's saying she doesn't think that she can go home for Christmas because plot reasons. Also to spend time with her boy friend. (that's not very Mormon) The rest of the family seems accepting of this, except Lincoln who's making our plot go. Oh, Lilly, the youngest Loud, gets to light the town Christmas tree. Enter stage, Luna, she decides to get the plot going too with an announcement she wants to go skiing with Sam and Sam's family and the family she can go, Luan decides she also wants to go the retirement home to do comedy for the old people. Lincoln is not happy. The parents decide to take a Christmas trip, with rest of the family, to Miami. (Christmas in Miami? Why?)
Family, we are going to Toledo! / Copyright ViacomCBS
There's no Christmas trees is Miami, but everyday is like a Mardi Gras. Now this sets up giving the other characters have something they like from the Miami idea. Like Lola wanting to do a pageant there. Lynn wanting to see a Miami Dolphins game, which I'm happy they were able to mention a real football team. (The fakest thing about this movie is someone being excited to see a Dolphins game, that's right! Come at me Dolphin fan!) Lucy wants to see a shark attack. (Uhh, one day she's going to wonder how it feels to kill someone, please get her help) and Lana being invested her frog being a frog. And while Lincoln seems sad in photographs, the rest of the family seems happy about this plan.
Lincoln is not happy because he feels that the family being split up isn't Christmas and wants to hold on the traditions. At this moment, I understand his reasoning, he wants to continue with things he knows love. He decides to show his family his gift, a 13 person person sled.(Oddly specific) This doesn't work because there's no snow. The rest decide that Miami is the type of town they could spend a few days in.
We should put this together as a family/ Copyright ViacomCBS
I'm saying I understand Lincoln completely. Christmas is a holiday filled with traditions and things we do commonly. To me, it does seem the family was kind of brushing over Lincoln's concerns and it makes sense for the plot to work, but I do see it being put that way. They are very accepting of the idea of changing things around and Lincoln is more apprehensive.
Enter Clyde, Lincoln's best friend, Lincoln tells him about what's going on, since he wasn't watching the movie. Lincoln tells him that he's going to have a blue Christmas, and Clyde finds out that means Lincoln isn't going to be there for Christmas and was going to have one without him. So, Clyde decides to help with a plan. Time for classic show hallmark number 3, Lincoln planning stuff.
Lincoln and Clyde playing the best soft hits live on Breeze 102! / Copyright ViacomCBS
The goals are to get Lori to change her mind and come home, to get Luna to not go with Sam, to get Luan not to go the retirement home, and get the family to change their plans about Miami. Lori is convinced by figgy pudding and gives her a plot arc, to get Bobby, her boy friend, to drive her back home. Luna is convinced by Mick Swagger, a fake phone call put together by Clyde and Lincoln. (Good thing she's not smart enough to notice an edited phone call, she can send me $334.33 then) They also mention "Jaws" in this movie, I'm happy. Lincoln's plan is to fake a shark attack in Miami, so they won't go, so he decides to combine it with a crocodile. Silly Lincoln, there's only gators in Florida not crocs. (The shoes are there though) 
What if we combined Christine with Cujo? / Copyright ViacomCBS
It would just be easier to find a Miami TV station video of a Shark attack on Youtube. (Get back to the movie) The joke with Clyde saying he's not willing to kill someone was funnier than I think it was supposed to be to me, at least. This last plan doesn't feel it will go well. They also had the Luan plan, which is stop her from being able to perform. I like that Lincoln and Clyde dressed as old men to convince everyone. Also never expected Lincoln to say "sin" . This segment of the movie was funny.
"Excuse me, Pastor, are you here for funeral reasons?" / Copyright Viacom CBS
Nobody messes with Scoots' pudding. Luan is fired. (Like Martha Stewart's apprentice) Lori and Bobby ride on a mo-ped, in their own journal movie. So Lincoln's sharkodile plan is to send it to the local news in Royal Woods about a story in "Miami" what? If anything that's how you know this plan is a mistake. I think Lincoln should have been given time to reason, give him the time to think it through. If only he could turn back time, oh well, plot has to plot. The only off thing is that a) Clyde is more less doubting in this movie than in the show b) that someone will see their local lake and think Miami.
Meanwhile, in our other movie.../Copyright Viacom CBS
So Lincoln and Clyde make 2 become 1 with the Sharkodile and the fact they both ride together on a bike that powers the thing. (Lincoln should have just said he wants to spend Christmas with Clyde, ironic, he's not using his time but you know) This works. I shouldn't be surprised that people in the town a mannequin is a real person being eaten by a fake shark thing. (They should check the water pipes.) This movie also has Rip Hardcore so that's fun. The part where Rita likes his nice manly arms is funny. Also the mating joke was funny.
When a Shark loves Crocodile, can't keep his mind on nothin' else / Copyright ViacomCBS
Lincoln is happy that this worked. Such a good feelin's comin' over him, there is wonder in most everything he sees... Everything he wants the world to be, is not comin' true especially for him.. he's on top of the world looking down on creation. But you see life is a mystery and well, we have lie 32 minutes left so his happiness has to backfire in 3..2..1..,
Around the house, he sees his family is sad about the results. (Lynn being sad about not seeing the Dolphins is the least realistic thing in this movie, that's right Dolphins fan come at me!) His Luna plan also backfired since Luna tells him that her girlfriend broke up with her for choosing Mick Swagger over her. (We got a cool metal song out of it) Leni is sad her mannequin is missing and she fired for losing the thing. (uhh what?) Also Hops, the frog, is sad some how. I made my point about them being sad. The true moral is planning going to Florida in a Christmas movie is cursed and don't do it.
She went from dad rock to sad rock/ Copyright ViacomCBS
Lisa had her own plan. She has made a Sharkodile tranquilizing spray. It works since it we get one of the best and funniest scenes in the movie where Lynn Sr. is affected by the spray and Stepanek brings a lot a fun to this part. I think the spray also makes one drunk.
same/ Copyright ViacomCBS
Meanwhile, Lori and Bobby are freezing to death and need Rita, the mom, to pick them up. Meanwhile, also, there' footage of Sharkodile in Royal Woods, since Lincoln and Clyde were rolling it to hide it and it gets scene. It also connects the pudding incident to the other part. The Christmas tree lighting has been canceled because of the chance of being eaten. (Cowards, in my day, we feared being eaten and yet we lived our lives!)
What, did they mean by that?/Copyright ViacomCBS
Lincoln decides to call the reporter with the truth, but since there is 23 minutes left, this doesn't work. ( Time after time huh?) Plan b,or F or some letter is Lincoln getting the Sharkodile to reveal it's fake to everyone. Clyde shows up he's a good friend to help. Yay no third act break up, no third at break up, no third act break up!
Now we get the great part! A fun chase with Rip following it and providing drone footage. Lincoln and Clyde are fast a biking, and they made the thing go through the Loud House yard. Lisa becomes a chad, and decides to get her spray in a gun and hunt the thing herself. Go reckless Lisa! The rest of the family goes to chase Lisa. The Lori plot meshes into the rest, with them following the chase when Lisa jumps in the van. This part of the movie is awesome I'm saying it twice.
Let's go pump it with lead! /Copyright ViacomCBS
Lincoln causes mall destruction, which too be fair, is already happening to malls. (wow) Clyde does get to talk to Santa so that works. Great crash 10/10 Santa's great too 9/10. Rip and Lisa go to subdue the creature.
Eww it ate Lincoln, but glad he got out/ Copyright ViacomCBS
Now the truth comes out, and Lincoln says what happened. Tanya is okay! Though. The Christmas tree gets lit and the movie gets wrapped up. We find out Lincoln gets 300 hours of community service.
I loved this movie! It was quite fun to watch, like I said, they kept it very faithful to the series. If you don't watch the series, you don't need to, to watch this movie , if you do watch the series, you will see hints of stuff from it in this.
The acting was alright, it's a basic cable TV movie, but they did it well. I feel the actors that felt closest to their characters in the series in general. Each actor did bring their own personal touch to the characters as well. I think it was nice mixture to not have them act completely in show but also still bring in those touches. I'm happy they didn't try to cloud it in with too many of the side characters. I know Lincoln's friends are part of the show (I mean super part of the show) but having just his best friend was just fine. They kept it simple.
The plot , of course, revolves around Lincoln so he got the most screen time. (He is the main selling for the show) I'm going to say something about his characterization in this movie. I can see his point on the idea wants Christmas to stay the same, and that makes sense. Christmas is based around traditions, and many would like to keep them the same because there's an attachment to them, that's what traditions are. Now he didn't the time to understand a different point of view, the view of his family members, and I know this was for plot reasons more than anything else, but I do feel the family was too happy with the idea of making new holiday plans.
I understand the harm he did as well, the unintentional things like getting Sam and Luna broken up, having Lori and Bobby freeze, having Luan feel bad about herself and her comedy. He didn't take in their concerns a little more than the didn't take in his. The part where he explains stuff and tell his family how he felt worked well, he was worried as his family is growing older that things are changing and doesn't want his family to separate. I think that's sympathetic.
Looking for a weakness to the movie, that's hard , not that's there none, but there's nothing that makes it those weakness destabilize the movie. Nothing feels like it runs on too long or even too short with it's pacing and length they seemed to maximize. There's just long enough establishing the characters and what's going on for it to be understood without taking up too much time. It moves to beat of then setting up the plot and Lincoln's goal. Then Lincoln's plan is the rest and all this is the first half. The 2nd half sets up the plan going wrong, Lincoln trying to fix the problem, and the resolution they packed alot. The weakness with the length is that it had to kind of tie up things rapidly at the end with Lincoln telling us what happens, but most of the important stuff was shown.
I think this was a great translation of an animated series into live-action. The Loud House is a more basic show so it seems to translate easier than a show with a fantastical elemented show like Nick doing "Fairly Odd parents" or something.
If I was rating the movie, I'd give it 8/10. I enjoyed it, and think it's great for Christmas time and a fun time to have. I think I'd like to see them make more Loud House live-action stuff. That's it for now, tune in next time when the city of Miami sues Lincoln for libel.
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