A good Christmas comedy, with added fantasy. <em>'Genie'</em> is, admittedly, not a massively Christmassy film, it's more so set at Xmas rather than directly about the festive holiday. It still offers positive vibes in that regard, though. The story is told and paced well, I thought it'd be more generic than it is - it's not anything necessarily unique, but watchable it is. It has hints of <em>'Aladdin'</em>, obvs, and <em>'Bruce Almighty'</em>. Melissa McCarthy is well chosen for the titular role, I found her to be entertaining throughout. This is the first time I've seen Paapa Essiedu act and I'd saw his performance in this is solid, he gives enough. Luis Guzmán is the best of the rest, even via a relatively small showing. Interesting that this is a remake of a 1991 television flick, which also had Richard Curtis behind the scenes and Alan Cumming onscreen; as Bernard in fact, so quite cool to see him return in this in a different role. I'll have to give that original a watch some day.

I found this film to be quite disappointing and unenjoyable. The storyline felt disjointed and poorly developed, leaving me unable to connect with or appreciate the movie. The attempt to center the plot around Melissa McCarthy as a genie or a character meant to be a focal point fell short, failing to capture the attention and interest of viewers. The overall execution of the film, from writing to filming, was subpar and lacked the necessary elements to make it engaging. Melissa McCarthy's performance, while subjective, did not resonate with me in this particular movie. Her portrayal may be polarizing for audiences, with some finding her acting style appealing and others not. Ultimately, this movie fell short in various aspects, failing to deliver a compelling storyline or engaging performances. It may be considered a miss for Melissa McCarthy fans and viewers looking for a captivating film experience. In my opinion, this is a movie that can be easily passed over and not worth adding to your watchlist. No likes yet