A One Mann’s Movies review of “That Christmas” (2024) (From the 2024 London Film Festival).
I know, I know. It’s the middle of October and like me you are probably bemoaning the fact that the ramp up to the start up of the Christmas spend-fest is starting sooner and sooner each year. I fear the time is coming when we’ll go straight from Cadbury’s Creme Egg adverts directly into the first Christmas supermarket ads! But, when the LFF Christmas film comes calling, I jump to attention. And, do you know, I think this one – “That Christmas”, co-penned by Richard Curtis – could become something of a beloved Christmas classic.
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
“That Christmas” Plot Summary:
After an eventful Christmas nativity play, we join the residents of Wellington-on-Sea in Suffolk as they settle into their Christmas festivities. And Christmas is a big deal in Wellington! But days of heavy snowfall come in the days before Christmas. That leads to chaos and the risk of a dismal day for some in the community.
Certification:
UK: PG; US: PG. (From the BBFC web site: Mild threat, rude humour.)
Talent:
Starring: Brian Cox, Bill Nighy, Guz Khan, Jack Wisniewski, Zazie Hayhurst, Sienna, Sayer, India Brown, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, Rhys Darby, Lolly Adefope, Paul Kaye, Ava Talbot, Kuhu Agarwal, Bronte Smith.
Directed by: Simon Otto.
Written by: Richard Curtis & Peter Souter.
Running Time: 1h 31m.
“That Christmas” Summary:
Positives:
- A fun family-Christmas-film with a really warm heart.
- Some strong messages about Christmas loneliness and the value of community spirit.
- Takes aim at lampooning some of the traditional elements of family Christmasses
- Great music.
- Up-to-snuff 3D animation style.
Negatives:
- As with any RIchard Curtis film, it has a tendency to occasionally stray into the overly-sacharine.
Review of “That Christmas”:
A strong Nativity start.
I have to admit that due to poor messaging from Highways England I managed to miss my train. As a result, I also missed the very start of this film. But I joined it at a strong point. The young teen, Bernadette McNutt (India Brown), introducesan ‘alternative’ Nativity Play. This is one that is fully inclusive, heteronormative and with messaging about global warming! We’ve been in this territory many times before. (Not least of which with the interminable “Nativity!” films). But this sequence I found to be very funny indeed in lampooning the characteristics of the dodgy school performance. There are the neat little nods and winks from the parents to their kids. There’s also the sea of raised screenphones meaning noone can see a thing! Standing in for Jesus is a carved watermelon, which doesn’t end well either for Jesus or the front row! Very funny!
You quickly appreciate that this is not going to be a film where the animation is anything to complain about. It’s of the ‘3D’ computer-generated type, but is smooth and well-thought through.
The Wellington action
We then return to the village of Wellington-on-Sea. Wellington is virtually cut off from the mainland. It’s accessible only via a ferry at one end and a bridge at the other. There are a number of plots in play here following the closure of the school due to snow. (School? On December 23rd? No, I don’t think so!).
- Danny (Jack Wisniewski) is looking forward to Christmas because his Dad (who “ran off with a 23-year-old dental hygenist”) is supposed to be coming home for the holiday. (Hopes that are sadly dashed by the weather). His mum (Jodie Whittaker) is a busy nurse, regularly away from the house. Danny has a schoolboy crush on Sam Beccles (Zazie Hayhurst), the daughter of the local shopkeeper. But he is a bit incompetent at the whole dating thing. “I am the feeblest human alive” he rages to himself.
- Sam is one of twins with the naughty Charlotte (Sienna Sayer). If she doesn’t buck her ideas up, Charlotte is going to get bypassed by Santa on the big night!
- Then there’s the McNutt family: Mr and Mrs McNutt (Rhys Darby and Lolly Adefope), Bernadette, Teddy (Freddie Spry), Scarlett (Ava Talbot), Nisha (Kuhu Agarwal) and Eve (Bronte Smith) plus a mini-van called Beyoncé! The parents leave Bernadette in charge of the three smaller ones on Christmas Eve to attend a dinner on the mainland. Inevitably, the snow causes the travellers some serious issues.
- Perhaps one of the most interesting characters is Ms Trapper (Fiona Shaw). She is a very stern schoolmistress with a tragic past who every former pupil in the village is still terrified by! “Miss Trapper is scary” admits one of the parents “… but the school is ‘Outstanding’!” (LOL!) Sadly, on Christmas Day, Ms. Trapper is “alone and unloved”.
Who IS that?
One of the joys of animated films like this is hearing the voices and trying to work out who the actors are, before you see the end credits, of course. I was able to spot some of them, but (surprisingly) I didn’t spot Bill Nighy as the helpful lighthouse keeper. The narrator is Brian Cox…. but we only find out what part the narrator plays later in the film!
Love Actually IS all around!
A good film of this type is one that appeals to both parents and kids alike. And I think this one really does tick both boxes. There are topics that come up: the “Christmas walk” that none of the kids want to go on; and “the lovely old Christmas film” that everyone is forced to watch that made me laugh.
Predictably (at you might tell from the film’s lookalike poster!) the “lovely old Christmas film” is “Love Actually”. The bit where Keira Knightley answers the door is in there . Also Hugh Grant’s opening monologue at Heathrow Airport arrivals makes a brief appearance before the kids rebel and flick it off: “that’s enough of that nonsense”! (For real “Love Actually” fans, there is an even more subtle reference to the film. When consoling Danny about his unrequieted love, his Mum uses the line “insignificant details”. That’s no conincidence!)
PG and not U?
I have to be honest that I was a little surprised that this was a PG certificate and not a U. I personally think even the youngest of children will enjoy this one. There is some “mild threat” in that the youngest McNutt, Eve (Bronte Smith), goes missing in a blizzard at one point. (She is obviously found alive and well later.) Elsewhere there is some implied violence that only the parents and older kids will get: there’s a cage full of live turkeys and an axe ominously embedded in a tree-stump! And I guess the whole ‘split-family’ and Danny’s sadness on Christmas day might be upsetting or disconcerting to really young children. But none of it is ‘Bambi’s mother’ terrifying!
Overall, I think the messaging is very strong. The overall message it leaves you with is a good one: achieving community spirit and support is one of the most important things in life. Yes, the film does over-apply the sacharine at times, in a traditionally Richard Curtis, overly rose-tinted, way). I’m sure some cynical viewers will take against this.
Music
John Powell does the music and I really loved it: very jaunty and uplifting, particularly when Santa makes an appearance. (For parents, it is worth noting that this is NOT a Christmas film that supports the ridiculous notion that Santa is made up.)
There are also some cracking tunes included on the soundtrack. They include one called “Under the Tree” by Ed Sheeran which I can see becoming a Christmas hit. There is also the use of Coldplay’s massively under-rated Christmas song “Christmas Lights” over the finale and end-titles. This holds a special meaning for me (I used it in one of my end-of-year family videos and find it very emotional for some reason.)
Summary Thoughts on “That Christmas”
These things are always difficult to predict. But after watching this film I was left with the overwhelming impression that this could be a monster Christmas hit and be one of those ‘traditional’ beloved Yuletide movies that will become a de facto “lovely old Christmas film” for many years in the future.
It is made by Netflix and is due to be released on streaming on December 4th. I would hope it might have a cinema release as well, as I’d like to take my grandkids to see it, but that might be hoping too much.
Where to Watch it (Powered by Justwatch)
Trailer for “That Christmas”:
The trailer is here:
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