“The one thing I really wanted for Christmas. And I couldn’t even get it for myself.” 

Genre: Family Christmas Films That Bring No Cheer
New Holiday Spirit or Ghost of Christmas Past?: OG story. Released 2025.
Bonus Content?: MICHELLE FREAKING PFEIFFER
Where I Watched: Amazon Prime

Synopsis: Claire is a mom to grown kids who are coming home for the Christmas holidays. But it seems everybody has a different agenda, and while presents take a back seat to drama, can Claire get everyone – including herself – back on track?

Worth the Eggnog?: This is a with a soundtrack that’s better than the film deserves. Rather than a story that pulls you into the holiday spirit, it’s a jumble of subplots and moments that never come together. Fun should only be watched under the influence of too much heavily spiked eggnog.

Pfeiffer’s Claire busts her ass to give her family everything they say they want. But nobody seems to notice. But if we’re supposed to be on her side, the story isn’t putting in the work. The candle store subplot is absolutely cringe. Way too much, it’s overblown, and feels like “white woman decides she doesn’t have to follow basic rules”. But when Claire is Home Alone’d by her family, Pfeiffer brings emotional depth and heart to the flailing story.

That’s a testament to Pfeiffer, not the lackluster abilities of writer/director Michael Showalter to spin a heartwarming yet humorous look at the holidays. Which is shocking, as I loved his The Big Sick. This is co-writer Chandler Baker’s first joint, and while the concept is good, Showalter and Baker’s screenplay never coalesces into a story that tugs anything more than my remote, as I check the time count.

There are moments though. Dominic Sessa as son Sammy, singing the weirdest, most uncomfortable cover of 12 Days of Christmas ever.  Dennis Leary as hubby Nick, who’s on assembling the toys duty, failing miserably. And, of course, Pfeiffer giving it her all whenever the script allows her to. And the scene where Claire gets to meet her idol, TV talk show host Zazzy (played by an absolutely electric Eva Longoria). That? That I could have watched an entire two hours of.

But these moments don’t really weave together. They’re just moments that never amount to anything. And that this stacked, talented ensemble cast is given such a nothing-burger to walk through has me feeling Grinchy as hell.

Score:  2 out of 5 Hos. This score breaks my heart. The cast deserves better.