Our take
Dear Santa is a PG-13 comedy about a dyslexic boy whose letter reaches Satan instead of Santa. Jack Black plays a friendly devil in mostly comic scenes. Moderate language, beer pong, and bullying themes appear. Bedroom and visitation jokes stay mild. Best for tweens who enjoy edgy holiday humor
Uplifting themes
Belief, kindness, and standing up for yourself weave through the holiday comedy Liam learns to advocate for himself despite dyslexia and holiday mishaps
AMU ages are independent editorial opinions. They are not legal classifications and are not issued by the Classification Board, the MPAA, or any other official classification body. Official labels on this site, such as PG or R, come from those bodies or our data sources, not from AMU. AMU guides are not a substitute for official classification. Cuts and details can differ by version. Use them as one input only. You decide what is right for your family.
Story (may spoil tone)
Likeable 6th grader Liam writes to Santa asking him to prove that he's real. But Liam is dyslexic and accidentally sends his letter to Satan instead, who shows up at Liam's house, excited to have his first fanboy letter and wanting a little of Liam's soul.
Details
Violence Slapstick beatings, gun euphemisms, and comic peril during the holiday…
Slapstick beatings, gun euphemisms, and comic peril during the holiday chaos
Language Moderate profanity including s-word and crap throughout the Jack Black…
Moderate profanity including s-word and crap throughout the Jack Black comedy
Sex / nudity Bedroom and devil-visitation jokes; no nudity or explicit sex
Bedroom and devil-visitation jokes; no nudity or explicit sex
Drugs / alcohol Beer pong and lodge party drinking appear in teen-adjacent holiday scen…
Beer pong and lodge party drinking appear in teen-adjacent holiday scenes
Frightening Devil and ghost-of-Christmas jokes; comic horror tone rather than real…
Devil and ghost-of-Christmas jokes; comic horror tone rather than real scares
Self-harm / suicide No self-harm found in this title
No self-harm found in this title
Sexual violence No sexual violence found in this title
No sexual violence found in this title
Child peril / abuse Comic peril around a sixth grader; played for laughs not realistic abuse
Comic peril around a sixth grader; played for laughs not realistic abuse
Bullying / discrimination School bullying is discussed and standing up to bullies is encouraged
School bullying is discussed and standing up to bullies is encouraged
Gore / death / weapons No gore found in this title
No gore found in this title
Dangerous behaviour No dangerous behavior found in this title
No dangerous behavior found in this title
Eating disorders / body image No eating found in this title
No eating found in this title
Mental health A brief therapy-session joke appears without sustained mental health th…
A brief therapy-session joke appears without sustained mental health themes
Gambling No gambling found in this title
No gambling found in this title
Grief / bereavement No grief found in this title
No grief found in this title
Talk after watching
- Liam mixes up letters because of dyslexia. How can schools support different learners?
- The devil is played for laughs. How do comedic villains differ from scary ones?
- Standing up to bullies comes up. What strategies work in real life?