Eddie Murphy is 62 and looks about 39. Whatever he’s doing, it’s working — but the same can’t be said for his most recent projects.

“Candy Cane Lane” is one of a three-picture deal Murphy has with Amazon, along with the recent, disheartening comedy “You People.” It marks a reunion for Murphy and director Reginald Hudlin, whose “Boomerang” once upon a time (1992) brought Murphy out of one of those slumps most major movie stars, especially comedy stars, endure along the way. He could use another lift after “Candy Cane Lane,” which isn’t a chore or a travesty or anything. But certainly, it’s less than Murphy deserves.

Screenwriter Kelly Younger based his tediously spun fantasy on the real-life Candy Cane Lane neighborhood of El Segundo, California, just south of Los Angeles International Airport. The homeowners go nuts there with decorations every holiday season. Murphy plays a plastics company sales employee determined to win the neighborhood’s deeply competitive contest for best and biggest decorations. In short order, though, he’s laid off, along with half his colleagues, days before Christmas. The imminent Candy Cane Lane scrum is especially important because it comes with a $100,000 prize.

Dad and his youngest daughter (Madison Thomas) chance upon a magical yuletide pop-up store underneath an L.A. cloverleaf. Jillian Bell, as witty as the material permits, portrays the malevolent North Pole outcast elf Pepper, scheming to turn the Murphy character and his family (Tracee Ellis Ross is the generically supportive mother) into tiny little Christmas figurines.

Already, Pepper has miniaturized and confined others to this tiny porcelain fate; Nick Offerman, Robin Thede and Chris Redd provide the voices of the Victorian-era wee ones, though they’re 2023 all the way. Redd’s flirtatious gas-lamp-lighter character spies Ross and suddenly he’s all “hey, baby,” prompting Murphy’s character to say “Hey, that’s my wife!” and Redd replies: “For now, brother.”

The verbal running gag in “Candy Cane Lane” concerns how many times Murphy and others will start a sentence with “I don’t give a —” before Christmas carolers interrupt with “fa-la-la.” Save that PG rating! This is good for a few laughs (”Are you elfin’ kiddin’ me?” Bell asks, late in the game), but the plot’s complications grow tedious long before the family gets around to the frantic, curse-breaking retrieval of five gold rings, an onslaught of Pepper’s minions including some hostile digital swans and geese, and the 11th-hour arrival of Santa Claus.

David Alan Grier sports the Santa beard in “Candy Cane Lane,” though in much of his limited screen time he’s standing around waiting for other people to do or say something. Only intermittently can Hudlin, Murphy and Ross shake this project out of its visually routine business. I realize writing a new Christmas screenplay can’t be easy; to get made, it must check a certain number of predictable boxes. Murphy is game, but only in a few moments with Ross — small-talk scenes not dependent on forced wonderment or reaction-shot gaping — do they appear to relax and enjoy the company. As do we.

‘Candy Cane Lane’

2 stars (out of 4)

MPA rating: PG (for language throughout and some suggestive references)

Running time: 1:48

How to watch: On Prime Video on Friday, Dec. 1.

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Here’s what The Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say immediately after the Ravens’ 20-10 win over the host Los Angeles Chargers in Sunday night’s Week 12 game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Brian Wacker: The Ravens defense did it again despite Baltimore’s offense doing its best to give another game away.

After struggling mightily to move the ball for most of the night against a Chargers defense that is one of the worst in the NFL, Baltimore relied on its defense to hold on to a game the Ravens were somehow in danger of losing until a fourth-down blitz from cornerback Arthur Maulet ended any chance of another blown lead. Then rookie Zay Flowers showed why he’s the team’s best receiver, breaking free for a 37-yard touchdown run to seal the victory with just over 90 seconds remaining.

There’s no sugarcoating it: The Ravens offense was disjointed. That’s going to happen sometimes, but it seems to happen in games the Ravens should win easily. It helps to have one of the NFL’s best defenses, though, and players like safety Kyle Hamilton, who was all over the field, and what has been a rejuvenated Jadeveon Clowney, who came up with a crucial fourth-quarter strip-sack. The game was closer than it should have been, but unlike the three losses in which the Ravens blew fourth-quarter leads, the defense saved the day.

Childs Walker: The Ravens again flirted with disaster thanks to disjointed offense and a shocking 44-yard miss from kicker Justin Tucker. Give all the game balls to their defense, which came up with a decisive fourth-down stop and forced four turnovers, including a strip-sack by Jadeveon Clowney with the Chargers in the red zone early in the fourth quarter. Los Angeles came in averaging 25.9 points per game. Holding them to 10 was no small feat.

The Ravens moved the ball efficiently in the first half but did not build a substantial lead in part because of a misguided fourth-down call in the red zone — why take Lamar Jackson out of the play with a direct snap to Gus Edwards? — and in part because of suspect pass blocking on third down. Venerable Chargers pass rusher Khalil Mack was a nightmare for left tackle Ronnie Stanley and the rest of the offensive line. The Ravens got their running game going in the third quarter but did not stick with it enough, failing to capitalize on repeated chances served up by the defense.

As they defend their narrow lead in the AFC North, the Ravens will take a road win in any form, but this was not a performance that put to bed concerns about their finishing ability.

Mike Preston: The Ravens had 10 days of rest and left their best game in Baltimore instead of taking it to Los Angeles. The Chargers showed why they are one of the worst teams in the NFL because they had virtually no offense. The Ravens have a good defense, but it was tough to tell whether they dominated or whether Los Angeles was so inept. Offensively, the Ravens weren’t in sync for most of the game but were good enough to take advantage of some turnovers and put Justin Tucker in field goal range. The bottom line is the Ravens won, they have the best record in the AFC and are in position to seal the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage in the playoffs heading into December. It was an ugly win, but that’s fitting for the NFL with its emphasis on parity.

C.J. Doon: The Ravens are so hard to figure out. At times, the offense looks unstoppable with Lamar Jackson and a strong group of weapons breaking off big gains through the air and on the ground. Then, there are times when Jackson holds on to the ball too long, the play-calling and personnel are questionable, and the offensive line fails to hold up in pass protection. The Ravens went just 4-for-13 on third down and 1-for-3 on fourth down Sunday night, which doesn’t inspire much confidence in the offense’s ability to perform under pressure. With the Chargers blitzing Jackson on nearly 40% of his dropbacks, the Ravens seemed to have success only when he got the ball out of his hands quickly. As good as Jackson is scrambling and extending plays, it’s not a reliable way to move the chains.

Even this historically good Ravens defense is prone to occasional lapses. If not for those four Chargers turnovers, who knows how this game would have played out? That said, those moments of brilliance — Zay Flowers’ long touchdown run, Keaton Mitchell’s outside burst, Mike Macdonald’s patented corner blitz, Jadeveon Clowney’s strip-sack — provide plenty of hope for a deep postseason run. Embrace the chaos. (By the way, do you think the Chargers regret drafting Quentin Johnston over Flowers?)

Tim Schwartz: It wasn’t pretty, but it rarely is. What was, though, is how this Ravens defense continues to dominate, regardless of opponent. The Chargers, as inept as they might appear at times, had scored a first-half touchdown in 48 straight games entering Sunday — the longest streak in NFL history. That’s over. Lamar Jackson did enough, spreading the ball around without tight end Mark Andrews, but the offense disappeared again, and that’s got to be a point of emphasis during the bye week. There’s too much talent to score so few points. Fortunately, the Ravens have a defense that is undoubtedly going to be difficult to beat in the postseason. And at 9-3, they’re a virtual lock to be there.

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WISCONSIN vs. MINNESOTA

When: 2:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Huntington Bank Stadium
TV: Fox Sports 1
Radio: KFAN, 100.3 FM
Weather: 31 degrees, cloudy, 9 mph northeast wind
Betting spread: Wisconsin, -2

Records: With a 37-3 defeat to No. 2 Ohio State last week, he Gophers (5-6, 3-5 Big Ten) have lost three straight games. The Badgers (6-5, 4-4) ended a three-game losing streak with 14-point comeback for a 24-17 overtime win against Nebraska last Saturday.

History: With a win, Minnesota will possess Paul Bunyan’s Axe for a third consecutive time, a streak unseen since winning four in a row in from 1984-87. College football’s most-played rivalry sits dead even at 62-62-8.

Key matchup: P.J. Fleck vs. Luke Fickell. Fleck is 3-3 vs. the Badgers, while Fickell has not played Minnesota. The rivalry between the two schools was rekindled off the field when Fleck accused Wisconsin’s new staff of negative recruiting in December. On the field, will Fleck call the necessary shots to get a positive result?

Who has the edge?

Gophers offense vs. Wisconsin defense: OC Greg Harbaugh said the biggest challenge with a Fickell defense is how multiple the fronts and coverages will be during the game. “What will they do?” he said. “… They can change the picture and their guys do a good job of adapting to what they are doing schematically. They are also physical.” … An anonymous Big Ten assistant told Athlon Sports that Fickell “is a legit great DC as a HC, so we know they’re going to be really tough out of the game on that side of the ball.” … Wisconsin is 24th in nation in scoring defense (19.4 points per game); Minnesota is 109th in scoring offense (20.8). …Minnesota’s running game has had a harder time grinding out yards in the last few weeks. After averaging 191 over the previous seven games, the U has put up only 92 in the last three. Injuries and inconsistent play has hurt the tailback room. If Darius Taylor or Zach Evans can’t come back, it will remain fifth-string RB Jordan Nubin. … QB Athan Kaliakmanis threw for a career-high 319 passing yards in the Gophers’ 23-16 win over Wisconsin last year. In the 12 games since, he hasn’t eclipsed 300 once and only 200 twice. … The biggest ranking disparity: Gophers passing offense is 123rd in nation, while Wisconsin pass defense is 26th. The Badgers have buckled down in second halves, allowing an average of only 66 yards after the break, the lowest mark in the nation. EDGE: Wisconsin

Gophers defense vs. Wisconsin offense: The addition of OC Phil Longo was “the strangest hire of the entire cycle” given his Air Raid concepts coming to the Big Ten, per an assistant coach in the conference to Athlon. Gophers DC Joe Rossi, however, says he has “great respect” for Longo and how he has married downfield passing game concepts in that style with a physical run game within Wisconsin’s tradition. … At 6-foot-2, 245 pounds, RB Braelon Allen remains a load to bring down. He’s averaging 82 rushing yards per game, which is third-best in the Big Ten. He also has 10 TDs. The Gophers defense must close up the run-fit issues that has hurt them over the two weeks. … LB Cody Lindenberg was getting closer to a return from injury last week but didn’t play the Buckeyes. No player is more important to the U’s front seven. If he can’t go, young LBs might continue to struggle. … QB Tanner Mordecai has returned from a three-game absence due to a broken throwing hand. The Southern Methodist transfer has only four passing touchdowns and three interceptions, but has a go-to target in slot WR Will Pauling. The Cincinnati transfer has averaged nine catches over the last two weeks. … Split WR Byrson Green, an Oklahoma State transfer, has provided another target; he is the younger brother of former Gopher QB/TE/WR Seth Green. … S Tyler Nubin will cap his stellar career at Huntington Bank Stadium on Saturday. He needs one interception to break a tie for career-most in program history. EDGE: Wisconsin

Special teams: Both kickers — Dragan Kesich and Nathanial Vakos — have made more than 82 percent of field goals this season. Both punters — Mark Crawford and Atticus Bertrams —are averaging 42 yards. But Wisconsin has a bit more in the return game. Minnesota is last in the Big Ten in kickoff return average (11.0) and last in total punts returned (5). EDGE: Wisconsin

Prediction: The Gophers lament not being able to put together a complete and consistent game this season. After 11 tries, it’s hard to see them doing so now, especially with injuries at RB and LB. At 5-7, the Gophers will be under .500 for the first time in a full season since 2018. Wisconsin, 24-20

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Why Gophers football has faltered this season

Patrick Queen knows this path. He walked it a year ahead of his Ravens teammate, Odafe Oweh.

You arrive in a hail of acclaim reserved for a first-round draft pick, possessed of sublime physical tools but relatively untutored in the finer points of your craft. Your early performances speak to your gifts and your fierce desire but also to that lack of polish. The same people who feted you turn to judging you harshly, forgetting that even the most optimistic scouts said you were not a finished product.

Queen lived through the heights and depths of this cycle before he broke out last season. Now, he’s watching Oweh, written off as a failed pick by detractors, enjoy his moment of sweet, year-three release.

“Everybody loves him now,” Queen said Tuesday, with a subtext of I told you so.

Perhaps it was an offseason of healthy preparation. Perhaps it was the arrival of a new outside linebackers coach, Chuck Smith, who happens to be one of the world’s leading teachers of pass rush as art. Perhaps this is simply the time when Oweh — a serious student in addition to a freaky blend of speed, length and strength — was meant to come into his own.

“It’s probably a mixture,” the 24-year-old outside linebacker said.

Regardless of the explanation, Oweh has broken out over the Ravens’ past five games, a stretch he capped with a career-high seven pressures and a sack in the team’s 34-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

“Odafe, he worked incredibly hard at it, and he still on the ascend,” coach John Harbaugh said. “He’s getting better all the time, and I don’t think he’s even scratched the surface yet about what kind of player he can be as a pass rusher, on run defense, all of it.”

The story of Oweh’s first two seasons in Baltimore was one of stops and starts.

As a rookie, he forced the fumble that clinched an elusive victory over the Kansas City Chiefs but finished the season on the shelf because of a foot injury. He appeared unblockable in camp the next summer, with normally understated defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald saying he expected Oweh to become a “dominant player.” Instead, his sacks and pressure rate dropped slightly in Year 2 as he failed to stack standout performances. When it was over, he was asked if offseason shoulder surgery had hampered his development. “I wouldn’t say hampered,” he replied. “But I didn’t have an offseason.”

Oweh hinted at a coming breakout with four pressures and two sacks in the Ravens’ playoff loss to the Bengals. But when would good health and sharpened technique align for the guy who’d set the NFL scouting combine ablaze with his 4.39-second time in the 40-yard dash?

He’s answering that question before our eyes.

By several metrics, Oweh is an elite pass rusher right now. He’s top 10 among edge defenders (who have played at least 100 snaps against the pass) in both pass rush productivity and pass rush win rate, according to Pro Football Focus, sharing a neighborhood with luminaries such as DeMarcus Lawrence of the Dallas Cowboys, Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders and Trey Hendrickson of the Bengals.

What about the consistency that eluded Oweh in his first two seasons? Well, PFF has graded him the best pass rusher among the Ravens’ edge defenders in five of the seven games he’s played this year, and that’s with veterans Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy producing strong seasons. Oweh has finished with at least three pressures in each of the six full games he has played. He’s pressuring quarterbacks on 18% of his pass-rush snaps, per PFF, up from 9.9% in 2022 and 11.6% in 2021.

He’s an every-week problem for opposing offensive coordinators.

Given Oweh’s form, the $7.2 million projected cost of his fifth-year option could be a relative bargain for the Ravens after this season as they look to maintain a cost-effective roster around franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson.

“We already knew what he was capable of. Obviously, he was getting there as a rookie. [In] the second year, he was doing a hell of a job; he just couldn’t finish,” Queen said. “It takes time for those things — just slowing the game down for him — and [he’s] just going out there now and balling. … I’m really proud of him, really happy for him.”

It’s a sentiment shared by teammates and coaches throughout the organization, who know how badly Oweh wants to be great.

“He’s put the work in,” said cornerback Brandon Stephens, who was part of the 2021 draft class with Oweh and shares the same agency. “I see him putting work in up in Austin in the offseason. I always tell him, ‘Just stay focused. Nobody cares about what you did last week. What are you going to do this week?’”

Stephens is preaching to the choir.

“I feel like there’s still so much I can get better at, in all aspects of my game because I started [playing football] late,” Oweh said. “The place where I got drafted, obviously, it required a lot of expectations early, but I’m still very much in the developmental stage. I still have a lot to prove.”

Oweh famously went without a sack in his last year at Penn State, where he asked to use his power to stuff the run before he swam upfield to find the quarterback. He’s a noticeably more sophisticated pass rusher than he was as a rookie, with a deeper bag of spins and hesitations to capitalize on his rare mobility.

“The one-on-one moves have really smoothed out,” Harbaugh said. “[The] spin move has smoothed out, not perfect a lot of times, but he has four or five moves — two or three go-to moves and probably four or five moves overall that he uses pretty regularly. That’s a big addition to what he was before, more just kind of a straight speed rusher when he came here.”

Oweh had known for years he needed to deepen his bag, and in Smith, who earned the nickname “Dr. Rush” as a private coach to some of the league’s top sack artists, he found an ideal tutor.

Even when he has played well, Oweh knows Smith will be waiting with a list of nitpicks when they meet to review his game tape.

“He always harps on me every week on the little details, because if you have success a lot, you might forget about the little things that you were doing just to get to that spot,” Oweh said, grinning. “It gets annoying sometimes because he’s always harping on me about the little things. But I’m really grateful for him always staying on me for stuff like that.”

In addition to the detail work, Oweh has repeatedly credited Smith — who posted 58 1/2 sacks in nine NFL seasons — for teaching him to think like an elite pass rusher.

“It’s just a mentality of what you’re looking at and what your approach is in your rush,” he said. “Just always having a plan before the ball is snapped — that really helped me.”

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