Black Santa

Liam Turner is a dyslexic, meek, but polite sixth-grader whose parents Bill and Molly are having marital problems following the recent death of his brother Spencer and their move to another town. Adding to the problem is that Liam is too insecure to properly introduce his new friend Gibby to his parents and keeps embarrassing himself over his schoolmate and crush Emma, who is the only one in his class to defend him for his specific learning disorder. To hope for things to get better, Liam writes his Christmas wishlist and mails it out, but accidentally misspells "Santa" as "Satan". The letter's recipient appears the next night in Liam's room. Though confused by his visitor's appearance and mannerisms, Liam still believes he is Santa. Satan decides to play along and offers to grant Liam three wishes. Liam offhandedly wishes that Emma would give him a chance, so Satan appears to him the next day in school and encourages him to approach Emma. Despite his awkwardness, Liam succeeds in getting a date with her at a Post Malone concert, for which Satan even provides VIP tickets. Liam later tells his mother and Gibby about his encounter with "Santa", whereupon Gibby informs him of his mistake. Liam confronts Satan and tries to get out of the deal, but he refuses and tries to entice him into making his two remaining wishes, with his soul as final payment. When Liam returns home, he finds his parents waiting with child psychologist Dr. Finkleman, because of their worry that Liam's "fantasies" are gradually getting out of hand. The session is interrupted by Gibby and Satan, who take Liam to the concert. With a little help from Satan, Liam is called onto the stage, where he dances alongside Emma and Malone and the former kisses him on the cheek. Gibby, who feels left out, leaves early after a girl rejects him due to his overbite. Later at home, when Liam talks with Gibby over the phone about the concert, he notices his friend's disappointment. Liam uses his second wish to fix Gibby's teeth and invites Gibby to join his date with Emma at the local Christmas carnival that evening. Bill and Molly, increasingly worried after eavesdropping on Liam's phone conversation, pull him away from the carnival and bring him to Finkleman's clinic. Satan tries to make Liam use up his third wish by showing him images of Gibby and Emma apparently enjoying the carnival without him. Bill and Molly's assumption that Liam has gone delusional is shattered by a nurse who shows them a video of him at the concert. Liam angrily locks himself in his bedroom, and his regretful parents argue, bringing up the accident that killed Spencer. Overhearing them and fearing a possible divorce, he sneaks out and visits Satan at his motel room, asking him to use his third wish to keep his parents together and in love forever. Satan agrees, but declares that he will not take Liam's soul until he has died naturally. With the deal closed and believing his soul is lost, Liam begins to talk back to his everyday tormentors, alienating Emma. Unknown to Liam, "Satan" is actually Asmodeus, a low-ranking half-demon posing as his boss, who has failed his trial to become a full demon: by granting at least one unselfish wish, he has nullified the deal for Liam's soul. The real Satan, Lucifer, banishes Asmodeus from Hell and gives him one hour to say his goodbyes. Asmodeus visits Liam and tells him about the deal's cancellation, and Liam figures out that he is not the real Satan. Before leaving, Asmodeus confesses how much he has come to like him and explains that the third wish was negated because Bill and Molly made up on their own, so he used the contents of Liam's original letter to fulfill a third and final wish. Now wanting to use his powers to help others, Asmodeus takes the form of an angelic dove and flies away. When Christmas arrives the next day, Liam finds his brother Spencer resurrected to celebrate Christmas with his family in their new home. However, Liam panics when he gets a call from Gibby, who has convinced Emma to give him another chance by appealing to her sympathy and telling her about Spencer's death.