New to Netflix today is the festive comedy film, Best. Christmas. Ever! The movie – directed by Mary Lambert – stars Heather Graham, Jason Biggs, Brandy Norwood, and Matt Cedeño, and tells the story of two families who accidentally spend Christmas together.
In the movie, Charlotte Sanders is a married mother of two who is preparing to take her family away for the holidays. The destination is her sister’s house, so she is packing up the car ready for the trip.
As she begins loading up the bags, Charlotte flicks through a Christmas newsletter she recently received from her old friend, Jackie Jennings. Every year Jackie sends out a newsletter explaining her family’s many triumphs, as well as various details about her life.
Charlotte finds the newsletter tiresome and dismisses it accordingly. She then asks her son to input her sister’s address details into the SatNav before the family set off on their road trip.
Following the directions of the SatNav, Charlotte drives her family to her sister’s house, arriving late at night. However, when she reaches her destination, she discovers she’s not at her sister’s house, but instead her son has sent the family to Jackie’s house instead.
With the weather taking a turn for the worst, Charlotte and her family are forced to stay at the Jennings residence for the entirety of the holidays. But can Charlotte cope with Jackie’s seemingly perfect life?
With a title such as Best. Christmas. Ever! it wouldn’t be a stretch to think the associated film would do everything in its power to be a cracking bit of entertainment. If you’re going to make a statement such as this one, you surely must have something impressive in your Christmas stocking to back it up.
With Best. Christmas. Ever! also being a comedy, you will want an endless array of gags, that not only tickle every rib, but possibly make the audience lose control of their bowels. And with the likes of Heather Graham, Jason Biggs, and Brandy involved, you’d expect strong performances that are fun to watch too.
So, does Best. Christmas. Ever! have all of this? Nope, not on your nelly!
Best. Christmas. Ever! delivers none of the above and not only do the actors fail to liven up the subpar material, the film is about as funny as food poisoning. There’s not a single laugh to be had in the film, and the longer it goes on the more tedious it becomes.
How tedious? Very!
Thankfully Best. Christmas. Ever! is a relatively short film, clocking in at a mere 80 minutes, so this does help with the boredom, but when your greatest selling point is your short running time, it’s hardly an endorsement, is it? However, it’s a small mercy and I’ll take it!
In terms of its Christmas content, there’s snow, baubles, Santa Claus, sleigh bells, and snowmen. Everyone is dressed in reds and greens, and not a frame goes by without some reference to the holidays.
So, if all you want is a burst of festive froth to feast your eyes on, then at the very least you’ll get it. You’ll want to turn the volume down on your TV, so you don’t have to pay attention to the story, dialogue, or performances, but hey, at least there’s something to (possibly) entertain the eyeballs.
The final act of the movie throws in plenty of sentimentality too, so if that’s what you like about Christmas movies, then may enjoy this aspect of the film. But the word ‘may’ is doing a great deal of the heavy lifting here, so don’t be fooled into thinking this in anyway elevates the picture.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Netflix is constantly filling up its streaming service with mediocre content and it’s becoming frustrating. I understand that not every film (or television show) is going to be A-grade material, but come on Netflix, do better!
We’re living in an age where substandard is becoming the new norm and it’s worrying. If Best. Christmas. Ever! is an example of where we currently are in the world of entertainment, I weep for what lies ahead.
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Thank you for taking the time to read this review on It’s A Stampede!. For more reviews, check out the recommended reads below.
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