Legendary comedian Richard Curtis has published three holiday-themed picture books, which inspired this hilarious family offering from Locksmith Animation, the studio behind “Ron’s Gone Wrong.”
Okay, Virginia… While many holiday cartoons focus on whether kids believe in Santa Claus, the charming Netflix series “That Christmas” posits that it’s more important for kids to believe in themselves.
Director: Simon OttoWriters: Richard Curtis, Peter Souter, Andrew DawsonStars: Bill Nighy, Brian Cox, Guz Khan
Adapted from a trio of picture books by “Love Actually” screenwriter Richard Curtis, this heartwarming family film is packed with kids questioning their worth — and not just in the good-or-bad department. A handful of key characters doubt whether they deserve love, due to the absence of their parents or resistance from authority figures. Leave it to Curtis (and co-writer Peter Souter) to give us some proof that each of them matters — with the help of old Santa Nick, who shows up to deliver some presents on cue while most of the adults are away.
The story, set in the pretty English town of Wellington-on-Sea, focuses on a small seaside community to observe a phenomenon that’s been happening all over the world: namely, how this time-honored holiday is being adapted and flexed to reflect current values. This is probably most clearly seen in the character of Bernadette (voiced by India Brown), who rewrites the annual Christmas pageant to be more conscious. She means well, but may have gone too far in execution, inadvertently splattering the front rows with watermelon pulp. Fine for a Gallagher concert, but not ideal for a school play.
The opening with the Nativity catastrophe injects “That Christmas” with a nice dose of comedic energy right from the start, while also serving to introduce virtually the entire cast. Right off the bat, we meet Danny (Jack Wisniewski), a quick-to-blushing boy dressed as a giant chickpea — not exactly a typical Christmas costume, but a good one for someone so shy he’d curl up in his own cave if he could. Danny has a crush on his classmate Sam (Zazie Hayhurst), but can’t quite muster the courage to tell her — which is just as well, since Sam has his hands full trying to keep his wild twin sister, Charlie (Sienna Sayer), in line.
Danny’s parents are divorcing, something you don’t typically see in Christmas movies — all the better, since it reflects the kind of real-world challenge that affects how kids today experience the holidays. Danny’s single mom is doing the best she can, expressing her love through sticky notes, even as her demanding job as a nurse forces her to leave the boy unsupervised.
Meanwhile, on the day before Christmas, nearly all the other parents find themselves stranded in a snowstorm, leaving Bernadette (who was desperate to modernize the festivities anyway) to figure out how to celebrate in their absence. Her story comes straight from the title picture book, while Danny and the twins act out the plots from the companion books “Snow Day” and “The Wrong Stocking.” It all adds up to a nearly overwhelming Christmas for Wellington, but at least the weather isn’t so terrible that Santa can’t get through.
While the town may be small, it reflects modern England in interesting ways, from the presence of non-Christian characters to the design of two little girls with a black mother and a red-haired white father — Bernadette and her younger sister, Evie, sport bright red hair and freckles. Those inclusive details may seem forced in some recent cartoons, but here they add dimension to a cast that’s brimming with personality. Consider the twins, who don't look identical at all, so different are their dispositions: Sam, rosy-cheeked, nervously plays with his hair, while Charlie sports a more disheveled look, befitting the kind of girl who would unleash a barn full of turkeys rather than watch them get devoured at Christmas dinner.
Curtis' name is sure to be the draw for many parents, who will get a kick out of the inside jokes taken at the expense of the screenwriters' other credits. Still, it's worth noting a trio of DreamWorks "How to Train Your Dragon" talents who have been reunited at Locksmith Animation (the studio behind "Ron's Gone Wrong"): First, there's Simon Otto, head of character animation on the "Dragon" films, who makes an appealing feature directorial debut with this project. Producer Bonnie Arnold is also along for the ride, bringing her optimistic instincts to the mix. And composer John Powell provides an orchestral score that gives the film a sense of humor.
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