BEFORE: Something perhaps radically different for Christmas -
THE PLOT: An examination of the commercialization of Christmas in America while following Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Gospel Choir.
AFTER: Rev. Billy is a phony preacher, in the style of Swaggart or Bakker or Graham, who brings a message of rampant consumerism, what he calls the "Shopocalypse", to shopping centers in a flash-mob gospel style. The film follows him and his choir on a cross-country tour that takes place in the month leading up to Christmas, culminating in a Dec. 25 raid on Disneyland. The "happiest place on Earth" is also earmarked here the epicenter of out-of-control American consumerim.
While I don't agree with the man's methods - he seems to have studied at the Michael Moore school of attention-getting - there is a valid message underneath the trappings of an over-dramatic evangelist. Intermixed with vignettes from the choir's life on the road and stops at the Mall of America and Wal-Mart headquarters are interviews with economic experts that highlight the plight of third-world sweatshop laborers, and a look at an average pre-teen's girl's toy collection, which is about to expand again with the latest Christmas deliveries from "Santa".
Is Christmas out of control? Undoubtedly. Will American consumers spend themselves into debt, again and again? Probably. With increased American corporate culture, advertising, and overspending, we've come pretty far from the original holiday celebration and the true meaning of the season. The real religious leaders have an uphill battle, trying to get their message across to a congregration that heads straight for the malls after services. But kudos to someone for making a film that dares to suggest that maybe, just maybe, the best Christmas gifts aren't sold in stores and wrapped in paper.
For years I've gone to two family celebrations on Christmas Day - lunch at my parent's house with with my mother's family, and then dinner at my uncle's house with my father's family. Whereas my mother's family celebrates with a full-on turkey dinner followed by an avalanche of gifts, my father's family celebrates with cold cuts and pre-made sandwiches, followed by a Yankee Swap. The second affair is always more laid-back, less stressful, and the focus is more on conversation and catching up with relatives, rather than focusing on holiday excess and fueling the corporate Christmas machine. And the Yankee Swap is a lot like a Christmas game show - everyone who wants to participate brings a good generic gift, and we all draw for numbers. The first person unwraps a gift, which may or may not be to their liking (but everyone is generally respectful, since the gift-giver is also in the room) - the second person unwraps a gift, and has the option to either keep it, or force a trade with the first person. The third recipient can force a trade with person #1 or #2, and so on, with Person #1 is allowed one final trade, since they had the least amount of choice up to that point.
This system was initiated years ago, since my father's family is so large that it was becoming inconvenient for each person to buy gifts for every other person. But it mostly works - OK, some years you might get a "zonk" gift, but it's all part of the fun - and the emphasis is more on friendly competition and trading, and less on overspending, since there is a monetary limit on gifts. This all ties in with the message of this film, since perhaps one tenth of the gifts are exchanged than in the typical Christmas celebration, and the family is no less the worse for wear. So ask yourself - would Christmas be any worse if fewer gifts were bought? And if your answer is "yes", what are the implications of that?
So while I'm not convinced that "Stop Shopping" is the answer, it's good to provoke debate, and at least attempt to make people aware of their actions and what the consequences are. Shop local, shop at smaller stores, shop less frequently, but please don't get all uppity about it.
RATING: 6 out of 10 cans of hairspray - and a shout-out to my buddy Morgan Spurlock, who was a producer of this film and clearly a strong influence.
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