History YMMV / JingleAllTheWay

** Even though Arnold was the focus, just imagine the whole movie on Creator/{{Sinbad}}'s POV? Then you have the movie about a down-on-his-luck father trying to buy a Turbo-Man doll as his way to atone for not being a good father to his son. Not only would if make the movie more interesting but put it into BlackComedy territory.

* CatharsisFactor: Liz punching Ted with a thermos of eggnog after showing his true colors of wanting to seduce her and move in on [[ManipulativeBastard being her new husband]]. After watching Ted put up a [[BitchInSheepsClothing front as a]] GoodSamaritan (with Howard being the only person who sees through his loving neighbor act), it's all too satisfying to see Liz let Ted down '''''the hard way'''''.
* CriticalDissonance: The film was predictably hated by critics when it was first released, but has since gone on to be such a holiday classic that every attempt by modern-day critics to bash it gets drowned out by nostalgia for the film.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: While this film hasn't dated horribly, there are a few elements that date it square to the mid-1990s. The biggest one is how the film uses Myron threatening people (including the police) with mail bombs for comic effect. Not only would this be considered inappropriate in today's terrorist-fearing society - not to mention how just ''making'' the threat would be enough to get Myron a lengthy jail sentence today - but it is also a reference to the Unabomber, one of the most notorious terrorists of the 1980s and 1990s, who was captured shortly before the film's release. Additionally, the Christmas parade depicts many 1990s fads, including Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots and VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog.

** The ''WebVideo/HonestTrailers'' riff goes further and says that ''none'' of the characters have any redeeming values. Even the always-likeable Chris Parnell plays a character who is such a jerk that punching his face would be more redeeming.

* IdiotPlot: The entire film happens because Howard forgot to buy Jamie the doll months ago like Liz told him to, and Liz never confirmed he got it or thought to bring it up to him again until shortly before Christmas. Then the climax happens because [[spoiler:Howard is mistaken for a parade performer and is suited up in the Turbo-Man costume and shoved onto the float in a matter of minutes. The film includes a HandWave that the guy who was supposed to be in the costume was injured during rehearsal and they had to get a replacement at the last minute, but surely they would have at least gotten his name and confirmed Howard was him, instead of grabbing the first person who walks through the doors and clearly has no idea where he is or what's going on.]]
** FridgeBrilliance: Arnold has a literally superhuman physique. Presumably someone acting as a super hero wouldn't have a better/different one.

* SpecialEffectsFailure:

** Does Ted actually care about his son and was he genuinely mad when Howard tries to steal the Turbo man Doll, or is he feigning outrage to manipulate Liz?

** Even though Arnold was the focus, just imagine the whole movie on Creator/{{Sinbad}}'s POV? Then you have the movie about a down-on-his-luck father trying to buy a Turbo-Man doll as his way to atone for not being a good father to his son. It would not only make the movie more interesting but put it into BlackComedy territory.
** Does Ted actually care about his son and he genuinely mad when Howard tries to steal the Turbo Doll? Or is he feigning outrage to manipulate Liz?

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: Store employees getting trampled by an entire swarm of impatient customers, which occurs early in the film. It may have been very funny at the time (due to being over-the-top), but Black Friday has caused people in [[https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/article/black-fridays-most-gruesome-injuries-and-deaths-through-the-years/amp/ real life have actually gotten seriously injured or killed from being trampled]], so it's certainly not as funny anymore.

** A running gag in the film is how Booster is TheScrappy in the ''Turbo-Man'' universe, at least as far as the fans are concerned. Creator/JakeLloyd, who plays Jamie, would eventually be regarded as TheScrappy himself, to an even worse degree, after appearing as Anakin Skywalker in ''Franchise/StarWars: Film/ThePhantomMenace''.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: The film was predictably hated by critics when it was first released, but has since gone on to be such a holiday classic that every attempt by modern-day critics to bash it gets drowned out by nostalgia for the film.

* IdiotPlot: The entire film happens because Howard forgot to buy Jamie the doll months ago like Liz told him to, and Liz never confirmed he got it or thought to bring it up to him again until shortly before Christmas. Then the climax happens because [[spoiler:Howard is mistaken for a parade performer and is suited up in the Turbo-man costume and shoved onto the float in a matter of minutes. The film includes a HandWave that the guy who was supposed to be in the costume was injured during rehearsal and they had to get a replacement at the last minute, but surely they would have at least gotten his name and confirmed Howard was him, instead of grabbing the first person who walks through the doors and clearly has no idea where he is or what's going on.]]

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: Store employees getting trampled by an entire swarm of impatient customers, which occurs early in the film. It may have been very funny at the time (due to being over-the-top), but people in [[https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/article/black-fridays-most-gruesome-injuries-and-deaths-through-the-years/amp/ real life have actually gotten seriously injured or killed from being trampled]], so it's certainly not as funny anymore.

** So... is Liz still living next door to Ted come the end credits? The man who tried to ''sexually assault'' her?

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: Store employees getting trampled by hoard of impatient customers, which occurs early in the film. It may have been funny at one time (due to being over-the-top), but people in [[https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/article/black-fridays-most-gruesome-injuries-and-deaths-through-the-years/amp/ real life have actually been injured or killed from being trampled]], so it's certainly not as funny anymore.

** Howard has an ImagineSpot of Jamie ending up cynical and embittered like Myron. Jamie's actor, Jake Lloyd, would later [[ArtistDisillusionment suffer similar feelings]] after his performance in ''Film/ThePhantomMenace''.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: Store employees and customers getting trampled by hoard of impatient customers, which occurs early in the film. It may have been funny at one time (due to being over-the-top), but people in [[https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/article/black-fridays-most-gruesome-injuries-and-deaths-through-the-years/amp/ real life have actually been injured or killed from being trampled]], so it's not as funny anymore.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: Store employees getting trampled by impatient customers, which occurs early in the film. It may have been funny at one time (due to being over-the-top and obviously PlayedForLaughs), but people in [[https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/article/black-fridays-most-gruesome-injuries-and-deaths-through-the-years/amp/ real life have actually been ''killed'' from being trampled]], so it's not as funny anymore.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: Store employees getting trampled by impatient customers, which occurs early in the film. It may have been funny at one time (due to being over-the-top and obviously PlayedForLaughs), but people in [[real life have actually been ''killed'' from being trampled https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/article/black-fridays-most-gruesome-injuries-and-deaths-through-the-years/amp/]], so it's not as funny anymore.

** So... is Liz still living next door to Ted come the end credits? The man who tried to sexually assault her?
* FunnyAneurysmMoment: Store employees getting trampled by impatient customers, which occurs early in the film. It may have been funny at one time (due to being over-the-top), but people in real life have actually been ''killed'' from being trampled, so it's not as funny anymore.

** What's to stop Howard from getting arrested? Especially from Ted, who has enough evidence to convict him for breaking into his own house and stealing his son's present. While he was quickly forced into the parade by the crewmembers, Howard then physically assaulted them during his performance and endangered civilians with his untrained use of the jetpack.

* CultClassic: The movie's a pretty dumb Christmas flick but is so off the wall and full of NarmCharm that many fans couldn't help but love it ''because'' of how goofy it was, firmly cementing it into this trope.

** [[Film/AustinPowers Verne Troyer]] is the Little Santa who gets punched by Wrestling/TheBigShow.

** Ted’s spouse troubles and his comeuppance from Liz could be seen as a foreshadowing of Phil Hartman’s death at the hands of his own wife Brynn.

* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: A common complaint about this film is the fact that almost the entire cast consists of assholes; with few characters to actually sympathize with, certain parts of the film can be more frustrating to watch than anything.

* OneSceneWonder: Martin Mull as the hapless radio DJ who gets assaulted by both Howard and Myron.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Even though Arnold was the focus, just imagine the whole movie on Creator/{{Sinbad}}'s POV? Then you have the movie about a down-on-his-luck father trying to buy a Turbo-Man doll as his way to atone for not being a good father to his son. It would not only make the movie more interesting but put it into BlackComedy territory.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: While this film hasn't dated horribly, there are a few elements that date it square to the mid-1990s. The biggest one is how the film uses Myron threatening people (including the police) with mail bombs for comic effect. Not only would this be considered inappropriate in today's terrorist-fearing society - not to mention how just making the threat would be enough to get Myron a lengthy jail sentence today - but it is also a reference to the Unabomber, one of the most notorious terrorists of the 1980s and 1990s, who was captured shortly before the film's release. Additionally, the Christmas parade depicts many 1990s fads, including Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots and VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog.

* ValuesDissonance: The way Liz casually accepts Ted's unwanted advances screams of a product set before the Me Too era. And the evidence implies that he has been creeping on her for a while too; look at the complete lack of surprise on her face when she bats away that arm he puts around her shoulder.

** Myron. Despite his flaws, the audience can't help but feel kinda sorry for him, as it is implied that [[spoiler:he lives a relatively crappy life--he works long hours to no reward or recognition, has no family, his wife cheated on him repeatedly and took custody of his son during their divorce, money is tight as a significant chunk of his income is sent to the aforementioned cheating wife for child support, and he seems to be generally treated unfairly by everybody in his life]]. So despite being an antagonistic character in the film, the viewer can't help but understand and empathize with his cynical attitude and animosity for the holidays, even though he can be a bit annoying for the way he jabbers too much about rhetoric.

** Arnold's character, Howard, is a workaholic BumblingDad. While this is inherently funny enough given that...''[[HamAndCheese it's Arnold]]'', it becomes even funnier if you saw ''Film/TerminatorDarkFate'' where he also plays a father and husband. A ''Terminator'' posing as one, specifically.

* JerkassWoobie: Myron. Despite his flaws, the audience can't help but feel kinda sorry for him, as it is implied that [[spoiler:he lives a relatively crappy life--he works long hours to no reward or recognition, has no family, his wife cheated on him repeatedly and took custody of his son during their divorce, money is tight as a significant chunk of his income is sent to the aforementioned cheating wife for child support, and he seems to be generally treated unfairly by everybody in his life]]. So despite being an antagonistic character in the film, the viewer can't help but understand and empathize with his cynical attitude and animosity for the holidays, even though he can be a bit annoying for the way he jabbers too much about rhetoric.

** Ted. Yes he is a [[BitchInSheepsClothing sex crazed creep and egomaniac masquerading as a doting and loyal father]] but Phil Hartman's very charismatic performance makes up for a lot of his shady behavior.

** Most of Jamie's lines, due to Jake Lloyd's wooden acting.

** Rita Wilson clearly shoving her head down after asking Howard if he actually has the toy, so the camera can zoom over her.

* ValuesDissonance: The way Liz casually accepts Ted's unwanted advances screams of a product set before the MeToo era. And the evidence implies that he has been creeping on her for a while too; look at the complete lack of surprise on her face when she bats away that arm he puts around her shoulder.