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The Netflix holiday extravaganza “Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey” provides plenty of seasonal razzle dazzle. But it includes one groovy song break that’s not like the others.
Forest Whitaker stars as Jeronicus Jangle. His glory days as a revered toymaker seemingly behind him, he’s now become a stodgy pawnbroker. But one woman, Ms. Johnston, still sees light in him, and her flirtations bubble over into a song called “Miles and Miles.”
Ms. Johnston is played by the British actress Lisa Davina Phillip, and she delivers a gospel and R&B-tinged performance that can’t help but lift spirits as she takes it to the sky.
The director, David E. Talbert, was inspired by the singing of gospel legends like Tramaine Hawkins, and guided Phillip to channel that energy. He also includes a trio of well-dressed dancers who accompany Phillip on the song, her Pips, if you will.
Narrating the sequence, Talbert discussed how he worked with his choreographer, Ashley Wallen (“The Greatest Showman”), and the songwriter Philip Lawrence to conjure up the feel of Motown groups like the Temptations, as well as the Minneapolis sound popularized by Prince.
Read the “Jingle Jangle” review.
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Source: Movies - nytimes.com
