That Christmas 2024 Movie Review
I can’t believe it’s already that time of the year… I have just experienced my first Christmas film of 2024, and I must start by saying that this one did not disappoint, at least not completely. After being in development for a while, That Christmas is finally approaching, and I had the opportunity to check it out before Halloween even happened, so I must confess that it did feel like I wasn’t ready to watch this just yet. I should’ve kept it for later in November, but here we are! That Christmas had me smiling and crying so many times, and that’s due to its beautiful story and characters that are perfectly crafted. At least until the ending…
The film follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love and loneliness, and Santa Claus making a big mistake. Simon Otto, director of the film, said “this movie tells the story of a troubled Christmas, forcing a group of kids and parents to accept that you can’t always plan life.” And that’s the best way to describe this film, it’s beautifully made and that’s all you need in a film like this.
That Christmas follows three tales. One of them is about a little boy who is obligated to spend his Christmas with his mean teacher because his mother had to work, and his dad is a jerk. The second tale follows twin sisters who are totally different from each other and their relationship. The third and last tale follows a group of kids who are left home alone after their parents get in a car accident and take over a day to get back. When you read this you probably think: oh this will be a cute, simple, fun time! And I will tell you this: It is!!
Watching this film felt like the right way to spend your Christmas. It is a film with such a deep and important message that, even though it can be extremely simple, it’s good that we still have films like these nowadays. If you’re looking for a film to show to your kids during this holiday season, then you don’t have to worry because That Christmas is THE perfect one, and I don’t think we’ll be getting any better Christmas film in 2024.
As I mentioned, the third act of That Christmas ruins it all for me. It’s just extremely disappointing in a way that will have you questioning why they didn’t delve deeper into themes they could’ve easily explored. The film builds up some relationships throughout the story, and you expect it to go in one direction, but they follow the most generic and predictable path, which is just so disappointing. It was clear that they didn’t know how to wrap up this story, so they just added a “missing girl” subplot for the climax, but it just didn’t work for me…
Even with an ending that just wasn’t able to stick the landing, I thought this film was a magical way to start this holiday season. I love how these type of movies make me feel. It’s a film that never tries to innovate or bring something massively surprising, however, it proves that you don’t need a lot to be good. It’s a simple story, but a very well executed one…
At the end of the snowy day, That Christmas is a beautifully crafted tale that is not only heartwarming but also deeply emotional and funny. However, the film fails to deliver a satisfying ending…
