The comic mishaps and adventures of a young boy named Ralph, trying to convince his parents, teachers, and Santa that a Red Ryder B.B. gun really is the perfect Christmas gift for the 1940s.
There are a number of small, unexpectedly funny moments in A Christmas Story, but you have to possess the stamina of a pearl diver to find them.
– Vincent Canby,
New York Times,
20 May 2003
fresh:
Delightfully entertaining, with a wryly amusing narration to keep the adults in the audience smirking.
– Don Peretta,
Time Out,
24 Jun 2006
fresh:
If you're a fan of Christmas movies or films that use nostalgia as a driver, A Christmas Story cannot be missed. Then again, if you're in either category, you have probably already seen it.
– James Berardinelli,
ReelViews,
10 Jun 2008
fresh:
Shepherd provides the voice-over of the grown hero narrating, and his prominence on the sound track forces Clark to focus on visual humor, resulting in some wild Our Gang-style slapstick.