Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish

Starring: David Gallagher, Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren, Jake Richardson, Eugene Levy, Keene Curtis, Don McLeod, Michelle Trachtenberg, Richard Fancy, Marla Maples.

I had very high hopes for this movie, given that it starred David Gallagher (7^th Heaven fan here) and also given the fact it was about Richie Rich. Let’s see if my expectations were met, shall we?

The movie starts off with Richie’s parents planting a Christmas tree for him out the front of their mansion, when he is a little baby. Cute idea! The tree grows as Richie grows. Moving forward to current time, Richie and his friends are on snow vehicles of some sort (forgive my snow vehicle ignorance), when Cadbury decides Richie has done enough shirking responsibility for now, and uses a master remote to guide the vehicles back to him. Richie reluctantly bids his friends adieu (adieu = French = fancy = rich!), and trudges inside. He takes a detour to see Professor Keanbean before officially starting his duties, however, and discovers Keanbean has made a wishing machine out of a washing machine and the biggest wishing bone there is. Given Richie’s lack of enthusiasm towards his responsibilities and the fact we now have a wishing machine, I’m beginning to see the plot. On his first wish, the wishing machine proves it has some kinks, when instead of a big pie, Richie is gifted with a pig sty. His outfit is ruined, but no mind, he’s about to get dressed in an adorable elf costume. Cadbury, dressed as Santa, turns out to have a little secret tattoo on his leg – a mouth with the words ‘root canal’, because the obvious career path to butlerhood is being a groupie for a punk metal band name ‘root canal’. Despite this weird revelation, and the obvious envy of his slightly less rich family friend Reggie, Richie sets out to deliver the sleigh of presents to the Orphanage. He assures the Police Chief he can drive the sleigh, regardless of the fact that is actually a legal driver going with him, and no one seems concerned. I guess when you have money, you really can get away with everything?

Of course, unbeknownst to Richie or anyone, Reggie has found the master remote, which controls everything, and has decided to get even with Richie for being richer than he, and creates chaos by taking over the sleigh. Richie crashes into pedestrians, and goes right by the Orphanage, through shrubbery, until it goes down the path of a closed dangerous road. Richie and Cadbury manage to get out, but the presents and sleigh go flying, and explode in the fakest explosion I have ever seen. The visual effects were really terrible throughout the whole movie, sadly. Cadbury is hurt, and Richie vows to get help, but along the way overhears people talking about how he’s ruined everything, and is spoiled, etc. Well, he did drive underage, so his is spoiled, but what did they expect? All thoughts of helping Cadbury (out on the cold, cold snow) now gone, Richie ends up in Keanbean’s lab, sulking. As you do. He (of course) wishes Richie Rich had never been born (yes, actually Richie Rich, not me, or I…), forgetting all about the wishing washing machine. His wish, of course, comes true.

Richie wakes up in his room, but it’s different. It’s now Reggie’s room, and Reggie’s world. After suing his own parents, and being given to the Riches, he now terrorises everyone, and is effectively running the town (now known as Reggieville not Richville). Outside, Richie’s old friends, Gloria and co, hate Reggie, and think Richie is a friend of his. They’ve never heard of Richie Rich, and run away from him. After Richie is discovered in the dining room, he runs across the table of food (which looked fun), and makes a dash for it out the doggy door, taking Dollar (his/Reggie’s dog) with him. Richie is now on the run, being chased by the Police (who look like Gestapo) for dognapping. For some reason, Richie goes to the bank with Dollar, and is chased in there too. Finally, seeing that a certain band is playing locally, Richie pops in to look for their groupie, and Cadbury (plus awesomely fake wig) appear. I assume the band is supposed to be British, given Cadbury is, but they sound more Australian to me, with a sometimes fake British accent. Of course, somehow the police get a tip off that ‘Richie Rich’ (and they know his name how? He doesn’t exist?) is with the band, and they show up. The typical hot blonde twin groupies cover for Richie in deceiving the police, and soon he’s out and about with Cadbury, searching for Keanbean.

Meanwhile, Reggie, incensed that someone stole his dog and hasn’t been caught, goes on tv to say if this kid is not found, he’ll cancel Christmas. Yep, turn off their power, and all that. I guess they could still celebrate, but without power? Anyway, Gloria looks like she’s going to call up to report Richie. Keanbean, although not working for the Riches (because Richie’s Dad decided because he didn’t have a son, he wouldn’t hire a scientist?) but owning his own magic shop. He still though, decided to create the wishing machine, although it is minus one wishing bone. No problems though, the bone is in the state museum, and Richie’s friends show up just in time. Gloria didn’t report Richie, she got more people to believe in him! A rambling kid who’s the number one most wanted right now. Girl must have charm speak (Percy Jackson reference…). They successfully manage to get the wishing bone, evading Reggie’s parents who now work at the museum (what a cool job though, Night at the Museum anyone?) and head back to Keanbean’s where Reggie and the inept cops are waiting. Richie and co get locked up, and Reggie takes the Wishing Machine back to the Rich Mansion and uses it to wish he could fly – but not very well. Careful what you wish for Reggie! That’s wishing 101, amateur. Meanwhile, things look bad for Richie and co, because not only does Richie still not exist, but it looks like they won’t get Christmas after all (is Christmas in jail better than no Christmas?). However, the gang are saved by the bell – actually no, saved by Root Canal! They manage to get over to the Rich Mansion, and try to use the Wishing Machine while Reggie is sleeping. It doesn’t work, and Keanbean hurries to fix it but before he does, Reggie flies downstairs in a rage. Everyone attacks him, and the Police Chief quits because he doesn’t want to work for someone who would cancel Christmas (hear hear!) and Richie wishes himself back and BAM!

All is right in the world. Everyone had been worried sick about Richie, who was actually in Keanbean’s lab the whole time (no one thought to look in the Mansion?) and Richie apologises, and all is right with Christmas :)

Rating –

Kylie – 6.5. It gets an extra half point for being part of the Richie Rich franchise (you have your own McDonalds?!) and an extra half a point for having David Gallagher, who carried this movie. Otherwise, the special effects alone were enough to bring it down, but add the plot holes and over done concept…

Sarah - 5.5 – While the brilliance of the Rich family (and its franchise) has been a saving grace to this film, the low-budget special effects, major plot holes and predictability largely affect its staying power.