Klaus Parent Guide

“A truly selfless act always sparks another.”

Spoiled and lazy, Jesper (Jason Schwartzman) is given an ultimatum from his father, the Postmaster General: establish a post office on the secluded island Smeerensburg, posting 6,000 letters within a year, or be cut off financially. When Jesper arrives in Smeerensburg, he discovers a town divided by two warring clans: the Ellingboes and the Krums. Desperate to find a way to post letters, Jesper begins delivering letters from the town’s children to a reclusive woodsman named Klaus (J.K. Simmons), who gives the children presents in return. As the children of the town begin to perform acts of kindness, their parents follow suit and that spark transforms the town.

There are a lot of Christmas movies in the world. Some great, some not so much. Thankfully this movie falls into the former category. The story is a fresh take on a well-trod subject; the origin of Santa Claus. The characters and story are relatable because the film stays in the realm of realism, for the most part, with only a very subtle amount of magic. The story is not overly Christmas-y, which lends itself to year-round watching, unlike many seasonal movies.

There are a few themes working throughout the narrative, but the most predominant one is that, as Klaus says, “a truly selfless act always sparks another.” When Jesper first arrives in Smeerensburg, the town is grey and silent. There is an ominous feel as you see the grey, expressionless faces, especially of the children. This is the most frightening part of the movie; the edges are sharp, and the tone is creepy. It was at this point that my three-year-old said, “This is too scary.” However, as the plot gets moving, the children of the town start doing good deeds for each other, followed soon after by the adults. The sun comes out, the edges soften, and the children play and giggle. Even for a young viewer, it is easy to see that kindness and service are proliferating and making the townsfolk happy. We see the change in Jesper as well, as he questions his motivations and his plans for the future.

As far as violence goes, the two clans are shown fighting each other, though this is done in a more slapstick, non-realistic way, with no blood or injuries visible on screen. However, I think this portrayal of fighting is justifiable, because the film is quick to show us the damage caused by the conflict, both on a personal and a social level. At no point is the violence depicted as honorable or worth emulating.

The animation style of this movie deserves special recognition. It appears hand drawn, but also has a slight 3D feel, making it gorgeous to look at. That hand drawn style adds to the timelessness and lasting power that I believe this movie could have.

Between the aesthetics, the story, the themes, and the performances (especially from Schwartzman), Klaus has all the makings of a holiday classic. I have now seen it twice and I cried both times. My three-year-old said that he liked it but admitted that it was a little frightening for him, mostly at the beginning. I highly recommend this movie if you are looking for a film with an uplifting message that both kids and adults can enjoy.