Genie (2023)

The basic story is solid: husband prioritizes work over family so wife leaves him during the holiday season but then the husband acquires a genie who is committed to helping him win back his family. Casting Melissa McCarthy as the unfamiliar-with-the-modern-world genie should've made for a slam dunk. But, somehow, it just isn't.

I know I bang on a lot about being confused about the "when" of things in movies, but it was a particular problem here. What seemed like a couple of days of happenings was referred to as "a few weeks" at one point. Also, I wasn't clear that the wife was LEAVING leaving -- it seemed like she just needed a couple of days to clear her head. Too much murkiness and, probably, crucial connecting bits left on the cutting room floor. 

Basically, it's fun but also felt like student work or a TV movie. 

C+