Jingle All the Way may exaggerate it a little bit, but not by much as Arnold and Sinbad battle through the streets of Minneapolis to find the Turbo Man action figure. I've seen, on many occasions, parents racing through the stores to get to the store aisles just as the store opens, just like in this movie.
Mean? No..perhaps a bit misguided but both men just want to make sure thier kids have a great Christmas. Phil Hartman is hilarious as the slimy, anal neighbor, cozying up to Arnolds wife and Robert Conrad is a treat to see as a cop who is always in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Look for Jim Belushi in a cameo as a dept. store Santa. Not a classic, but good escapist holiday fun.