That Christmas opens with a familiar holiday dilemma: it’s Christmas Eve, and Santa faces treacherous weather while trying to deliver his eagerly awaited gifts.
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| 'That Christmas' Courtesy of Locksmith Animation |
We are introduced to the kind-hearted figure, voiced by Brian Cox, as he navigates a fierce winter storm characterized by strong winds and poor visibility. A severe illness has left him with only one reindeer, played by Guz Khan, to pull the sleigh. Tensions run high between them, with Santa even threatening to switch to a self-driving vehicle next winter.
Despite the odds being against him, the joy of children worldwide — especially those in the fictional coastal town where the story unfolds — relies on his ability to overcome these challenges.
That Christmas premiered at the BFI London Film Festival and is a charming animation from Locksmith (known for Ron’s Gone Wrong) that is poised to become a classic. It can be easy to dismiss new Christmas movies, as genuine holiday spirit is challenging to evoke. If you’re not part of the intended audience for Hallmark-style sentimentality, these festive films often elicit more frustration than joy.
However, this movie, adapted by Peter Souter and Richard Curtis from Curtis’s series of children’s books, cleverly sidesteps the usual sentimentality by rooting its whimsical narrative in the real and complex emotions of life.
Directed by Simon Otto (How to Train Your Dragon), this Netflix feature boasts a strong voice cast and successfully strikes a balance between playful self-awareness and the suspension of disbelief characteristic of all holiday tales. This marks Curtis’s first venture into animation, and although the characters are digitally created, the story channels the authentic energies that made his earlier works so cherished.
Similar to Love, Actually (which makes a humorous cameo), That Christmas explores how various lives intersect and parallel each other. Santa, through voiceover narration, introduces us to Wellington-on-Sea, a close-knit, multicultural English community that becomes the backdrop for one of his most challenging Christmases. The story begins a few days before the holiday when local children stage a raucous and progressive version of a play about the Three Kings titled Three Wise Women.
The production is a collaboration between bold 15-year-old director Bernadette (India Brown) and her anxious friend Sam (Zazie Hayhurst), featuring contemporary cover songs and replacing shepherds with organic vegetable farmers. It serves as a critique of the past and presents a vision for a radical and sustainable future.
However, the production is a chaotic disaster, effectively showcasing the main characters in this interconnected narrative.
Danny (Jack Wisniewski), the new kid in town, becomes the focal point around which all the other plotlines revolve. He has a crush on Sam, but their contrasting personalities — she’s anxious, and he’s shy — may doom their potential romance to a distant longing.
While daydreaming about Sam, Danny also fantasizes about Christmas with his father, who he hopes will visit for the holiday. His life revolves around distractions, especially since his mother (Jodie Whittaker) works long hours as a nurse.
A heartwarming thread in That Christmas highlights the emerging friendship between Danny and his neighbor, Ms. Trapper (Fiona Shaw), a cantankerous woman who makes the Grinch seem friendly.
As Danny grapples with feelings of isolation and the emotional fallout from his parents’ divorce, Sam worries that her mischievous twin sister, Charlie, will ruin her chances of receiving gifts from Santa. Charlie’s pranks, which embarrass her sister and frustrate their parents (Rosie Cavaliero and Andy Nyman), provide some of the film’s most humorous moments and sharpest one-liners, contributing to its overall comedic tone.
Meanwhile, Bernadette and her little sister Evie (Bronte Smith) prepare for the holiday with their parents, the hilarious McNutts (Lolly Adefope and Rhys Darby), and some family friends. The commitment of the performances and the diversity of these characters — both in appearance and personality — enliven That Christmas, making it a film that offers pleasant surprises.
The action escalates when Bernadette’s parents and their friends (Mrs. Mulji, voiced by Sindhu Vee, and the Forrest family, voiced by Alex MacQueen and Katherine Parkinson) leave town for a wedding. Choosing to celebrate a wedding close to Christmas is a bold move, but the adults, eager for a break from their kids, hastily depart the island.
Despite the school closure due to a foot of snow and the ominous fog on the horizon, the reality sets in after the wedding when the parents discover that the ferry services have been suspended. They realize the weather could hinder their return, potentially causing them to miss Christmas with their families.
Despite its numerous narrative threads, That Christmas ensures that no character or story arc feels neglected. While there are moments that suggest the movie is a blend of different books, the screenplay by Curtis and Souter confidently navigates between these threads.
This skillful weaving enhances the impression that this Christmas tale serves as a portrait of a community. The effort to capture the essence of a neighborhood makes it easier to accept the more fantastical elements or contrived moments.
Otto maximizes the film's 91-minute runtime, ensuring that That Christmas maintains a smooth pace without feeling rushed or disjointed. The attention to detail — from the dedication of the lighthouse keeper (Bill Nighy) who updates the town bulletin daily to the long-standing feuds among residents — immerses the audience in this fictional village, bringing it to life.
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