THAT CHRISTMAS

Name: THAT CHRISTMAS
Item: THAT CHRISTMAS
Author: Review

"A Mockery of the Nativity"

Content: -2 Extreme caution for older teenagers and adults.

Entertainment Quality:

	None	Light	Moderate	Heavy
Language
Violence
Sex
Nudity

Credits →

What You Need To Know:

THAT CHRISTMAS is an animated movie streaming on Netflix adapted by Richard Curtis (of LOVE ACTUALLY fame) from a trilogy of children’s books. The story follows a small seaside community of Wellington-on-Sea as a snowstorm thwarts their holiday plans. The weather separates the families, and they must improvise and try to reunite despite the snow.

The movie is colorful, with lively animation and is filled with an A-list cast like Bill Nighy and Brian Cox. It features mainly a biblical/moral worldview, such as families working together to help one another in a time of need. There are also some elements of false religion, a humanist and romantic worldview, language, light nudity, an abortion joke, and violence. Because of this, MOVIEGUIDE advises caution for children of all ages.

Content:

(B, HU, FR, L, V, N, M)

Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements:

A mainly a biblical view of helping one another but also contains false religion of Santa’s “magic” and a humanist worldview due to a reference to abortion.

Foul Language:

One use of “d*mn,” one character says “holy-flipping-moly,” God’s name used in vain several times, Santa says “My unmentionables are turning into snowballs out here” while flying in the snow, a boy says, “flipping heck;

Violence:

A kid mistakenly runs into a glass door, Santa slips and falls on a roof, the bus that the adults are in flips over;

Sex:

None;

Nudity:

One child’s pants fall, revealing his boxers, while making a snowman with his teacher, an old man goes swimming in a speedo and several others in swimsuits;

Alcohol Use:

Wine bottles can be seen in the foreground in a scene where the parents are hanging out for a wedding;

Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse:

None; and,

Miscellaneous Immorality:

One parent stuck in the snow says she needs to “pray for reincarnation in a tropical country.” Yirrel says he “hates” turkeys, children cross fingers behind backs while lying to their parents, Mary in the play says she’s going to “keep the baby,” suggesting that she was considering abortion.

More Detail:

THAT CHRISTMAS is an animated movie streaming on Netflix adapted by Richard Curtis (of LOVE ACTUALLY fame) from a children’s book trilogy. The story follows a small seaside community of Wellington-on-Sea as a snowstorm thwarts their holiday plans. The weather separates the families, and they must improvise and try to reunite despite the snow.

The movie is colorful, with lively animation and is filled with an A-list cast like Bill Nighy and Brian Cox. It features mainly a biblical/moral worldview, such as families working together to help one another in a time of need. There are also some elements of false religion, a humanist and romantic worldview, language, and light nudity and violence. Because of this, MOVIEGUIDE advises caution for children of all ages.

THAT CHRISTMAS begins with a performance of a children’s school Christmas play. The play has been “modernized,” featuring songs from artists such as Spice Girls, and the lyrics are changed to accommodate the play. Danny, a new student, is laughed at for his chickpea costume. The child who plays Mary has a watermelon under her dress to make her appear pregnant, which falls out mid-performance and rolls off stage. Later in the play, the young girl playing Mary says, “I’ve made up my mind; I’m keeping the baby.”

After this, we learn that Danny is the child of a single mom and his dad is absent, which he is disappointed about. His mom works often and leaves notes around the house to “talk” with him throughout the day. Then a massive blizzard hits the town, stranding everyone and leaving the children to fiend for themselves. .

Charlie and Sam are twin girls in the town. Charlie is known for being “naughty,” while Sam is “nice” but anxious about being good enough. Charlie breaks into a turkey cage to set free turkeys about to be killed for Christmas. Later, when Santa comes, Charlie secretly gives her gift to Sam, earning her the title of “nice.” Santa returns to fill gifts in her stocking as a reward.

Later, Danny and his teacher make a special dinner for his mother, who has to work on Christmas Eve. She encourages her son that they will be “so fine” despite her recent divorce. A young girl named Evie goes missing, so the families rush through the snowstorm to find her. Lighthouse Bill helps shine his light to look for her. The search party finds her spending time with the turkeys Charlie previously rescued.

Watch THAT CHRISTMAS →

Quality:

- Content: -2