The best word to describe this movie was weird. I heard someone say it sounded like AI wrote it or something. And that is very true. I don't understand exactly what they were going for, it's like someone saw a movie before and decided to make one but really didn't have any idea what they were doing. Like an alien made it and was trying to blend in with the humans. Nobody was offensively bad or anything acting wise, so of the people in it I wondered what they were doing there as they were "too" famous for such a low production Hallmark channel type movie. Netflix is just shooting this stuff out and canceling good stuff, it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I would not recommend this weird movie.
129 Reviews
Cute story. Questionable acting and directing.
Dialogueuser18 November 2023
I'm sorry to put down a Christmas movie, but the acting and directing was almost 'laugh out loud' bad.
The story is quite cute, but the directing, script and acting just don't bring the best out of it at all. I was quite shocked by it really.
The actors don't display any authenticity, so it's hard to connect to them or empathise with them. Maybe they were struggling with a poor script and poor direction, because they have acted better in their other films. The plot being a bit too far fetched at times doesn't help either.
Shame on you Netflix for releasing this while jacking up our subscription costs by multiples of the inflation rate!
The story is quite cute, but the directing, script and acting just don't bring the best out of it at all. I was quite shocked by it really.
The actors don't display any authenticity, so it's hard to connect to them or empathise with them. Maybe they were struggling with a poor script and poor direction, because they have acted better in their other films. The plot being a bit too far fetched at times doesn't help either.
Shame on you Netflix for releasing this while jacking up our subscription costs by multiples of the inflation rate!
Not good and a bad ending
TheBeardedWonder16 November 2023
Another typical Netflix original Xmas movie with has been actors and awful dialogue. I don't know who this movie is for either - it's not particularly funny or thoughtful so adults will be bored by it, and the themes are a little too much for kids to comprehend and the jokes aren't for them either so I dunno.
The actors are honestly trying and they're not the problem at all. It's just lazily and cheaply done and is another in a long list of bad Xmas movies nobody will ever watch but NF shareholders will be told that 'there's now 2000 holiday movies on the service so we will def attract more subscribers with them!'
And the ending is so rushed and out of nowhere that it reminded me of the ending to CATS. Which is never a good sign. And it starts with a character talking right to the camera - which is then never done again.
Skip this one, it doesn't even have the light hearted whimsy that other Xmas flicks have. It's serious and boring and I wish the leads had better material to work with...
The actors are honestly trying and they're not the problem at all. It's just lazily and cheaply done and is another in a long list of bad Xmas movies nobody will ever watch but NF shareholders will be told that 'there's now 2000 holiday movies on the service so we will def attract more subscribers with them!'
And the ending is so rushed and out of nowhere that it reminded me of the ending to CATS. Which is never a good sign. And it starts with a character talking right to the camera - which is then never done again.
Skip this one, it doesn't even have the light hearted whimsy that other Xmas flicks have. It's serious and boring and I wish the leads had better material to work with...
You have to see it to believe it - but don't.
sophieelizabethelliott24 November 2023
Was this written by people? Was it AI? Did it start being written before the writers strike but had a deadline and got chatgpt to write it?
It just had no humanness to it. The plot is weird, the characters are weird, the script it weird.
I kept watching because it took so many turns I had no idea where it was going, it could have gone in a lot of good directions, but the ending was like a sugar dream that came out of nowhere. All the Christmas fantasy tropes in the last 5 minutes with no context.
I have no words to describe this film other than bizarre.
Listen to the reviews. Don't waste your time.
It just had no humanness to it. The plot is weird, the characters are weird, the script it weird.
I kept watching because it took so many turns I had no idea where it was going, it could have gone in a lot of good directions, but the ending was like a sugar dream that came out of nowhere. All the Christmas fantasy tropes in the last 5 minutes with no context.
I have no words to describe this film other than bizarre.
Listen to the reviews. Don't waste your time.
Yuck
Schuh-239-19058518 November 2023
This is one of the worst movies I ever watched. The acting is horrible, the story line is horrible, Stay away from this one as its is a complete waste of time
I cannot believe in this day of age that a movie can be this bad. There was no chemistry with any characters what so ever. I was really expecting something good with Jason Biggs but even his performance was lame. Im not sure I can complete this 600 charaters minimum as it doesn't take that many words to say that the movie sucked. 101 more charaters left to say avoid this movie at all costs it will be a waste of your time and life is too short.
😐
riverketchum20 November 2023
Watching this film was like enduring a cinematic nightmare. The plot was a convoluted mess, stumbling through a labyrinth of confusion. The acting was wooden, as if the cast had mistaken emotion for a distant concept. Special effects were laughable, resembling a high school project gone wrong. Dialogue? More like a painful assault on language. The soundtrack was a cacophony of discordant noise, assaulting eardrums with every note. Even the cinematography seemed determined to induce migraines, with its nauseating camera work. Save yourself and skip this cinematic catastrophe - an agonizing experience that makes you question the very nature of filmmaking.
Oh this is bad!
rachaelkellam17 November 2023
Wow! Netflix really? The acting, the plot, it's like watching a car wreck. We can't be that desperate for Christmas movies surely. I had to watch till the end to see just how bad it was. These are some serious washed up actors that need to retire. I am struggling to use enough word count for this disaster of a movie. , obviously the actors thought the writing was atrocious. Look I took this on face value as a cheesy Christmas movie but seriously I can't understand why Netflix would play this garbage. Please, give it a miss. Actually watch any other Christmas movie ever made except this one. Seriously.
Best boring Christmas movie ever
paul-70-8268003 December 2023
We could only tolerate an hour! After 30 minutes our 10 year old daughter was complaining it was boring and questioned if this was comedy. We told her to give it chance but after an hour we all agreed this was the worst movie we had watched in a long time. We kept thinking it will get funny in a minute but the joke was on us. We're not film snobs, Our family has watched so many Christmas movies I've lost track. Many of the good ones get watched over and over every year. We couldn't even get to the end of this one. Don't bother watching this, there are so many better Christmas films out there, or just watch home alone for the 100th time.
Cute/Cheesy but won't watch again
christopher-spiegel20 November 2023
This is certainly not as horrible as so many people are making it out to be. Like a lot have said, Christmas movies are supposed to be cheesy. The kids are cute. The story really isn't bad. It is cute. People are saying that it's confusing. There's nothing confusing about it. People are saying the plot is all over the place it really isn't. One thing I do agree on is the acting is a bit wooden they all could've done so much better. Who knows what the heck was going on during the filming you never know. As I said in my heading, I certainly won't watch this again, but it was cute enough. No big deal I'm not going to cry/& moan and groan about getting my time back. I've always had a crush on Heather Graham, And always liked Brandy, and I've always liked Jason Biggs, & the actor that played Brandy's characters husband I remember him from zombie nation. He was great in that , but they really all could've done better! Now., onto the new season of the Crown!!
Gets my lowest score ever!
dankolbet30 November 2023
It's ironic that a movie with this title would get my lowest score ever! For a Christmas movie but that's exactly what this terrible, terrible movie deserves. We worry that artificial intelligence will ruin stories, but it seems as though this movie was written by clunky AI and directed by Monkey Bob (you'll know him if you watch the movie). So maybe it's a lesson for all of us that AI will never replace us. Or it's possible I'm projecting because no actual humans should have signed off on this stinker. The movie tried to be way too many things: is Santa real?; rich vs poor; can Brandy still sing? It's a big no for me.
A psychological horror that will keep you guessing
hrqgskms16 December 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Two old college friends are trapped in a twisted game of envy and deception. Jackie (played by Brandy Norwood) is a ruthless and manipulative woman who writes a yearly newsletter to taunt her friends with her achievements and happiness. Charlotte (played by Heather Graham) is a desperate and unhappy woman who feels tormented and inferior by Jackie's perfect life. When Charlotte accidentally ends up at Jackie's house on Christmas Eve, she decides to stay and expose Jackie's life as a lie. However, as they spend time together, they discover that they have more secrets than they thought. What does charlottes husband have to hide and can he manipulate her through shaming her for her anxieties and own self doubt enough to get what he wants?
The movie has so many unexpected twists and turns I was genuinely up all night afterwards still trying to figure out the implications of what I had just witnessed.
Like how did that bearded man disappear?
And the dollhouse.... If youve seen hereditary you'll know what I mean.
I don't want to spoil anything.
How they managed to convince the censors to only give it a pg rating is a mystery to me.
Best Christmas ever is a brilliant take on the evengelical Christian belief of positive thoughts creating wealth and prosperity.. if you have faith like Brandy.
Bless us everyone.
The movie has so many unexpected twists and turns I was genuinely up all night afterwards still trying to figure out the implications of what I had just witnessed.
Like how did that bearded man disappear?
And the dollhouse.... If youve seen hereditary you'll know what I mean.
I don't want to spoil anything.
How they managed to convince the censors to only give it a pg rating is a mystery to me.
Best Christmas ever is a brilliant take on the evengelical Christian belief of positive thoughts creating wealth and prosperity.. if you have faith like Brandy.
Bless us everyone.
Not the worst Christmas ever.
ttreakle18 November 2023
Look we all new what we were getting when we seen the trailer. Yes this feels like a Hallmark movie but with better acting . I liked the characters and story. Some scenes were actually funny. The movie is funny at times but could've been funnier. With a eighty minute runtime it felt all crammed together. This shouldi been 30 minutes longer. My favorite scene involved tree sap and a hand. Jason Biggs and heather graham were a odd pairing but it worked. It was cheesy and predictable just like a Hallmark movie. I did enjoy the ending but again cheesy. I do however recommend the movie. It's fine for a one time watch.
Timothy Treakle.
Timothy Treakle.
Best Christmas Ever! ..... Not!
beths-8788417 November 2023
I guess I'll start with the cast, zero chemistry. Even the actors couldn't act like they had any chemistry. It was uncomfortable to watch. I mean, I don't know if they got along in real life but I could swear I saw Heather Graham with cringe face when having to do a hug scene with Brandy. These aren't the best actors around but I don't think I've ever seen them this bad. It was like torture to watch. The kids were cute. I'm never going to bash children. All children are cute! The backstories for the characters were boring and without emotion. Don't want to give anything away and ruin it for anyone. As if that's possible. It's pretty much ruined from the opening scene. I think the writers strike started with this film. The Best think about The Best Christmas Ever Movie was THE END! Don't waste your time.
Worst. Movie. Ever!
LovesCinematography18 November 2023
I've endured many rushed Netflix movies over the past few years, but this one just takes the cake. The movies lacked any substance, had zero depth, and very lazy writing.
This movie was overloaded with modern clichès. I respect Brandy, but her acting was just terrible. (Sorry Brandy). Jason Biggs was.. meh. The jokes never quite landed for me. They were understood, but too predictable and heard many times before. Nothing original.
The product placement was junk food, which is quite fitting for what the film offered. I'd assume the only positive aspect of the film was that it was short. This means I didn't have to suffer for more than an hour and 20 minutes.
This movie was overloaded with modern clichès. I respect Brandy, but her acting was just terrible. (Sorry Brandy). Jason Biggs was.. meh. The jokes never quite landed for me. They were understood, but too predictable and heard many times before. Nothing original.
The product placement was junk food, which is quite fitting for what the film offered. I'd assume the only positive aspect of the film was that it was short. This means I didn't have to suffer for more than an hour and 20 minutes.
Yea. No
melillobm28 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Wow. This movie started out ok and I actually laughed at the intended comedy. I love Brandy and Heather and I thought they were good together in the movie.
But then, whoa. This movie went off the rails and I couldn't stop laughing. I had tears rolling down my eyes because every time I thought of something illogical this movie did, it would spur another even more hilarious question
Examples -
The hot air balloon. I will watch a whole movie on this contraption.
Uh wind doesn't work the way you think it does! Why is there a fan on the back end?
How is it a "hot air" balloon with no hot air?
How is it solar powered?
Is there a battery?
Where is the fan to blow wind into the balloon?
Why do they only fly it at night????? When the sun isn't out??????? There's no battery.....
How is Brandy maneuvering it in the sky??
How does it know where to go?
I need a documentary made about the tech behind this hot air balloon immediately!
But then, whoa. This movie went off the rails and I couldn't stop laughing. I had tears rolling down my eyes because every time I thought of something illogical this movie did, it would spur another even more hilarious question
Examples -
The hot air balloon. I will watch a whole movie on this contraption.
Uh wind doesn't work the way you think it does! Why is there a fan on the back end?
How is it a "hot air" balloon with no hot air?
How is it solar powered?
Is there a battery?
Where is the fan to blow wind into the balloon?
Why do they only fly it at night????? When the sun isn't out??????? There's no battery.....
How is Brandy maneuvering it in the sky??
How does it know where to go?
I need a documentary made about the tech behind this hot air balloon immediately!
Definitely an AI movie!
mhelm4589-190-7021324 December 2023
This is the weirdest Christmas movie I've seen in a long time. I 100% do not believe a human being wrote that script. The plot and the way everyone speaks is not how any human would act or speak. I wouldn't even be surprised if the actors themselves are digitally added in like in that Black Mirror episode because there mouths look strange as they're speaking I thought Netflix was glitching at first and the sound was off but nothing I did fixed it and I tried it on a different TV and it was the same which means that's just how the movie looks. Totally bonkers movie and an absolute waste of time!
Bad actors, boring story and cringy
patrickgillavila19 November 2023
This movie sucks
I've had to watch it with my family (no escape) but I had the worst time. You know it's bad when the kid actors are better actors than the main lead. The kids have a few funny lines and are the only good parts about the movie, because they're not insufferable. The main chick and the other adults have an awful dynamic with each other and they're not funny. The main character can't even deliver good dialogue or even act good, she just makes odd faces and poorly delivers lines. You can just tell she doesn't want to be there. And, they're all such uninteresting characters and it's terribly cringy and boring.
Worst movie ever!
cacortesi19 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Desperate attempt to write and produce a Christmas movie during the industry strikes. If I had to guess, the assignment was to make the worst Christmas movie of all time. But it's actually the worst movie I've ever seen.
And who lies about their son dying? If they are actually friends, wouldn't they know about a child's death or go to the funeral? Or donate to the memorial fund? It's completely ridiculous and borderline offensive.
Do not waste your time!!! Netflix should be ashamed of themselves. My family didn't even finish it with me - they thought I was pranking them. Started as a movie that wasn't funny, took a corny turn, then crashed into a dumpster fire. It kept getting worse.
And who lies about their son dying? If they are actually friends, wouldn't they know about a child's death or go to the funeral? Or donate to the memorial fund? It's completely ridiculous and borderline offensive.
Do not waste your time!!! Netflix should be ashamed of themselves. My family didn't even finish it with me - they thought I was pranking them. Started as a movie that wasn't funny, took a corny turn, then crashed into a dumpster fire. It kept getting worse.
This movie makes John Cena's " The Marine" look good.
duckbrown219 November 2023
Pinche Netflix you got me good on this one. The plot is caca. I still do not understand why I actually watched the whole thing. I guess i so bad that you keep on watching waiting on something to happen. And it kinda does, but holly cow, I'm still trying to figure out what in the world I watched. Starts decently, I digged the set up of the story and the characters but, really? And truste me, Im a very easy customer when it comes to consuming entertainment, but this movie is ridiculous. Please Netflix: I need back my hour and twenty minutes I spent watching this movie, plus the time i spent looking for something to watch.
Possible spoiler positives
wkuhlin-7337821 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I agree with some of the positive reviews that mention that Christmas movies are supposed to be cheesy and predictable and I also think there's enough good for kids to enjoy and for adults to like parts of this story.
I predicted one sad part but won't spoil it here except to say I think there was a positive message in the movie that no matter how good or bad we think our lives are compared to others, we all have goodness in our lives.
Someone in a relationship might be grateful even if life doesn't always turn out how we planned and we can still celebrate family and friends.
People are more important than objects too.
I liked the decorations and like each of the main cast.
Brandy looked and sounded beautifully.
I would have rated this more highly if one part was a bit more believable but I would watch this again for the themes of family and friendship.
I predicted one sad part but won't spoil it here except to say I think there was a positive message in the movie that no matter how good or bad we think our lives are compared to others, we all have goodness in our lives.
Someone in a relationship might be grateful even if life doesn't always turn out how we planned and we can still celebrate family and friends.
People are more important than objects too.
I liked the decorations and like each of the main cast.
Brandy looked and sounded beautifully.
I would have rated this more highly if one part was a bit more believable but I would watch this again for the themes of family and friendship.
Uhhh what???
ryanalexcampbell27 November 2023
Super cringe from the start.
I felt they switched the genre of the movie, through out the movie.
Is it a comedy, a drama, a kids movie? They had the key players, great props and Christmas spirit but had a horrible story line.
I watched this as some background white noise while I made dinner and that's all this movie is good for. That movie with Lindsey Lohan was better than this one. They need to spend more money on better writing.
I would suggest for Netflix to do some research on what people really want to see rather then spending all this money on a grotesque, want to be Hallmark Christmas movie.
I felt they switched the genre of the movie, through out the movie.
Is it a comedy, a drama, a kids movie? They had the key players, great props and Christmas spirit but had a horrible story line.
I watched this as some background white noise while I made dinner and that's all this movie is good for. That movie with Lindsey Lohan was better than this one. They need to spend more money on better writing.
I would suggest for Netflix to do some research on what people really want to see rather then spending all this money on a grotesque, want to be Hallmark Christmas movie.
It's a cheesy Xmas movie, people need to lighten up
mcdougall-ashleyjane19 November 2023
A whole lot of grinches reviewing this movie...yeeesh....it's supposed to be a cheesy Xmas movie with actors that bring us back to our youth. Not some Scorsese film. It was cute and relatable, especially with the basis of those Braggy holiday letters everyone used to recieve every year (Heather Graham did my mother justice reading those letters every year) if you want something easy as background noise during the holidays while baking or cooking thats also family friendly, pop it on. It's a pleasant film and I loved seeing Brandy acting in a role in a movie after all these years....p.s. I thought the acting was fun and not atrocious....what do people expect when the headliner is "from the makers of the Princess Switch"
Usual feel good cute Xmas movie
txjzqstpz28 December 2023
It's bizarre the haters trashing this movie. Was it an Academy Award film? No. It's a Christmas movie. I thought it was a different sort of storyline and it kept me interested- short and entertaining. It was cute - as worth watching as any of the other seasonal movies that get churned out. Nice to see familiar actors together in a feel good movie like this. All the actors are recognizable, led by Heather Graham and Brandy Norwood. This may not have been the most amazing performance of their careers but it was a short Christmas movie that looks like it didn't take a lot of work to put together. But that doesn't mean it wasn't an enjoyable show.
Worst. Movie. Ever!
kimnalda27 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I'm a sucker for a good sappy Christmas movie and I can forgive a lot of bad acting for a cheesy holiday plot and some good old fashioned romance. This movie fulfilled NONE of my expectations and the acting was worse than those mushy Hallmark movies.
To start off, the two married couples spend the first half of the movie lusting after each other's spouses (very strange and not at all authentic). This never gets unpacked or apologized for, just glossed over. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop with Brandy's character and make her more likeable. Yes there was a bit of a sad backstory but even that does not erase the supposed perfection of her life.
All of it was about attaining wealth as the main point of life, and all it tried to say was that if you try hard enough you can be anything you want to be. But you still get the feeling that Charlotte feels inferior even though she tries to like her life situation. It by no means brings authenticity, depth, gratitude or appreciation, all of which are much more important than wealth and accomplishment. Of course it did not touch the real meaning of Christmas or even get slightly close to it. It kind of mimics the elements of a bunch of Christmas movies and cobbles them all together into a bland, strange, stinky cheese kind of movie.
It was barely funny, eliciting nary a smile. It was barely sad, not being invested or attached to any of the characters. It was barely romance, with no believability of the attraction for their own spouses. It was not made for kids (not funny or good), nor adults (not deep, not clever, no real message, too cliche).
The main reason I wasted an hour and a half is I had to see where it was going and how it was going to remedy these situations. In the end it was just a waste of time. Watch anything else instead.
To start off, the two married couples spend the first half of the movie lusting after each other's spouses (very strange and not at all authentic). This never gets unpacked or apologized for, just glossed over. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop with Brandy's character and make her more likeable. Yes there was a bit of a sad backstory but even that does not erase the supposed perfection of her life.
All of it was about attaining wealth as the main point of life, and all it tried to say was that if you try hard enough you can be anything you want to be. But you still get the feeling that Charlotte feels inferior even though she tries to like her life situation. It by no means brings authenticity, depth, gratitude or appreciation, all of which are much more important than wealth and accomplishment. Of course it did not touch the real meaning of Christmas or even get slightly close to it. It kind of mimics the elements of a bunch of Christmas movies and cobbles them all together into a bland, strange, stinky cheese kind of movie.
It was barely funny, eliciting nary a smile. It was barely sad, not being invested or attached to any of the characters. It was barely romance, with no believability of the attraction for their own spouses. It was not made for kids (not funny or good), nor adults (not deep, not clever, no real message, too cliche).
The main reason I wasted an hour and a half is I had to see where it was going and how it was going to remedy these situations. In the end it was just a waste of time. Watch anything else instead.
Abysmal rating, for an abysmal movie
wagnerfrederick22 November 2023
Don't waste your time with this turd. I get that we shouldn't expect a Scorsese style of production for a Christmas movie but at least make the characters somewhat believable. I agree with everyone saying that Brandy's acting was way off, although she felt like a real shallow person to me so that wasn't what bothered me. What bothered me was how lazily written out some of the plot points were... It felt like they were trying to make one of those traditional family movies but this movie had so many wtf moments and none of the charm, none of the spirit and none of the wit of those classic Christmas movies.
Also, the suspension 9f disbelief this movie asks of you is just ridiculous even for a Christmas movie! Someone asked who this was made for and I can't help but ask the same question. If it was made for kids it was made by someone who has a very poor understanding of what kids find entertaining and if it was made for adults, they needed to try harder because none of their jokes landed except for maybe one or two. Avoid at all costs!
Also, the suspension 9f disbelief this movie asks of you is just ridiculous even for a Christmas movie! Someone asked who this was made for and I can't help but ask the same question. If it was made for kids it was made by someone who has a very poor understanding of what kids find entertaining and if it was made for adults, they needed to try harder because none of their jokes landed except for maybe one or two. Avoid at all costs!
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