There’s no shortage of worthwhile Christmas movies out there. Do you want to go back in time and relive your ’90s Christmas memories? Then Disney+ has the Home Alone and The Santa Clause movies. Craving some scares to go along with those gingerbread men? Then you should watch Black Christmas on Tubi. Action fans have Die Hard and Netflix’s Carry-On, and fans of so-bad-they’re-good Xmas movies have Hallmark movies to indulge in.
Last year, I discovered a new addition to my usual rotation of must-watch Christmas movies: This is Christmas. A co-production between Sky Cinema and MGM+, the 2022 British film is a low-key charmer, an unabashedly sentimental and optimistic movie with the sole purpose of lifting your spirits. It does just that, and that’s really all you can ask for in a quality holiday movie.
Need more recommendations? We also have guides for the 10 best TV shows to watch on Christmas, the best Christmas movies on Netflix, the best Christmas movies on Disney+, the best Christmas movies on Hulu, the best Christmas movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best Christmas movies on Max, and the best Christmas movies on Hallmark Channel.
A morning commute like no other
Have you ever taken a morning commute on public transportation, looked around at the people sitting next to you, and wondered, “Who the heck are they?” This is Christmas takes that central conceit and runs with it. During a typical train ride into London, young advertising executive Adam (Alfred Enoch), tired of not knowing the faces he sees more times than his own girlfriend’s, decides to break the understood wall of silence between strangers and invites everyone to an impromptu Christmas party.
At first, everyone is standoffish. But when Emma (Kaya Scodelario) decides to support him, more people warm to the idea and decide to help organize the party. Some of those people include Dean (Jack Donoghue), a shy young man who reads sci-fi novels; Ray (Timothy Spall), an older man who keeps to himself; and Judith (Ted Lasso‘s Sarah Niles), who rides the train with her sister and loves Jane Austen novels.
As each person contributes to the party, they begin to talk to each other in subsequent commutes and prove Adam’s initial theory that a stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet. Yes, that’s corny, and Adam knows it, but he still persists in doing something; after all, the alternative is just the same silent commute that he’s been a part of for years.
There are complications, of course. Finding a venue for the party proves to be more troublesome than initially thought. Even worse, Emma can’t make the party due to her upcoming move to Chicago. This affects Adam more than he likes to admit since he’s developed feelings for her that complicate not only his relationship with his longtime girlfriend but Emma’s relationship with her fiancé as well. While the plot threatens to veer into Hallmark territory, it never overdoes it, maintaining a quaint British restraint that makes it all the more charming.
A genuinely charming cast
Speaking of charming, a key reason why This is Christmas succeeds is due to its cast. As Adam, Enoch showcases an earnestness that never becomes grating. You may remember him from his time as Dean in the Harry Potter movies or as Wes on How to Get Away with Murder. He was never the star, but he always made enough of an impression to make you wish he had a bigger role in whatever he was in.
Here, he makes the most of his rare leading role and makes Adam someone you not only root for but also fall in love with. We all want an Adam on our morning commute, someone who believes in the best of people even when they have a bad attitude due to whatever is happening in their lives.
As Emma, Scodelario isn’t your typical Christmas movie heroine. For starters, she’s not all that happy, but she can’t exactly understand why until late in the movie. Her relationship with her fiancé Simon (Jeremy Irvine) is technically everything she ever wants, but it leaves her wanting something more.
That something is Adam, but she can’t quite bring herself to accept that until the end. As a veteran of such shows and movies as Skins and The Maze Runner films, Scodelario brings an unexpected gravity to Emma that cuts through the sugary sweetness the movie sometimes dishes out.
Veteran character actor Spall stands out from the supporting cast as Ray, who could be your usual crotchety old man but is revealed to be so much more than that stereotype. That’s due to Spall, who is one of the most underrated actors working today.
His past collaborations with director Mike Leigh, like Topsy-Turvy, All or Nothing, and Mr. Turner, are a bit heavier and more serious than This is Christmas, but Spall still commits to his character 100%. The result is a B story involving Ray and Dean that’s genuinely touching and avoids the eye-rolling clichés it could’ve leaned on as most movies in this genre do.
You can’t beat London during Christmastime
Fans of Love Actually know that London is probably the best city to experience Christmas in. England’s most popular town goes all out for the holidays, with its glass skyscrapers and cobblestone streets all aglow with white lights and holly. This is Christmas has a bigger budget than most non-Hollywood Christmas movies, and that results in a good-looking movie you want to live in.
Even the train everyone rides each day is welcoming. A big reason why I re-watch Love Actually and Home Alone isn’t because they are great movies; it’s because they take place in locations that look incredible and feel welcoming. I won’t spoil too much, but the end of This is Christmas reaches those same heights. It leaves you with a warm, fuzzy feeling that every good holiday movie should do.
So what are you waiting for? If you’ve watched the usual standbys like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation or The Family Stone by now and are looking for a new movie to watch while opening presents, then give This is Christmas a view.
This is Christmas is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
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