This year, I’m pleased to report, there’s a new Christmas movie worth the female audience’s time, and it’s called That Christmas. I’m all the more pleased because it gives me hope, coming as it does from an unlikely source; one of its co-writers is Richard Curtis, the writer-director behind Love Actually (2003), a Christmas movie with serious drawbacks, namely the hypersexualization of women and normalization of pornography, promiscuity and fellatio—things most female viewers don’t look for in a Christmas movie. You won’t see any of that in That Christmas, which is as it should be since it’s intended for children. You may be asking yourself why I am reviewing a children’s movie this month. It’s because during this darkest time of the year, we need extra helpings of light, hope and love and That Christmas serves up all three.

That Christmas aims to prove that the best Christmases aren’t about presents but rather about being with the people you love in the place you love. It’s about community, and as the narrator tells us, “A real community is for life—not just for Christmas.”

This enjoyable, uplifting story is set in a small English seaside town, the charming and fictional Wellington-on-Sea, and takes place between December 22 and Boxing Day. It’s the story of children trying to make the best of a difficult Christmas season during a blizzard and is based on books written by Curtis and illustrated by Rebecca Cobb.

The movie poster is a little misleading. Given Santa’s prominent position, you would expect the story to be all about him, and yet his part is smaller than the children’s: Danny, twins Sam and Charlie (two girls) and Bernadette (Bernie), as well as adults like Ms. Trapper and Mrs. Williams (Danny’s mum). Lonely Danny, the shy new kid in town who is raised by his recently divorced mum, is disappointed his dad didn’t reach him for Christmas. Nice, anxious Sam is very worried naughty Charlie’s antics will lead to an empty stocking Christmas morning. Local rebel Bernie is left in charge of a handful of younger children from a few neighbouring families when their parents leave town for the day to attend a wedding. Overworked Mrs. Williams, a nurse, gets very little time with Danny and is unexpectedly called in to work on Christmas day. And finally, authoritarian Ms. Trapper, the terrifying school principal, looks out for Danny and comes up with plans that bring more than one family closer together.

This Locksmith Animation production has plenty to offer female viewers: plenty of female characters, many significant females, females portrayed as heroes and clever, loving sisters, as well as congenial relationships (including intergenerational) and affection between female characters. There’s plenty of praise for girls. For example, Sam is referred to as the resident genius and Bernie is described as a creative genius. The unconventional school Christmas pageant even includes Three Wise Women. These things might not seem worth mentioning but they are, given that they’re still too rare in film. So I tip my hat to That Christmas’ director, Simon Otto, and its screenwriters, Curtis and Peter Souter. May all their future work be as female audience-friendly.

That Christmas is voiced by some people you may recognise: Bill Nighy (Lighthouse Bill), Brian Cox (Santa), Fiona Shaw (Ms. Trapper) and Jodie Whittaker (Mrs. Williams), who played the Doctor in many episodes of the popular TV series Doctor Who.

For us islanders, the ending, too, should bring a smile. The day after Christmas, the community of Wellington-on-Sea enjoys the traditional Boxing Day sea swim. It’s a lovely way to end a movie. If you’re looking for something to watch with your children or grandchildren this Christmas, I highly recommend That Christmas.

That Christmas is rated PG and has a running time of 120 minutes. It was released on December 4 on Netflix.

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Alline Cormier
Film analyst

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