Nestled on the Suffolk coast lies the small town of Wellington-on-Sea, home to familiar Christmas characters like Santa and young Danny, Sam, and Charlie. In That Christmas, a new animated film from acclaimed writer Richard Curtis and director Simon Otto, the days before December 25th bring winter storms, moments of chaos, and crises for locals—yet also opportunities for imagination, connection, and joy.
Voiced by veteran actor Brian Cox, Santa rides through a nasty blizzard to deliver gifts. But guidance from lighthousekeeper Bill helps steady the sleigh. We also meet Danny, a new boy with parents divided, nursing a crush on Sam while she worries over her mischievous twin Charlie. All three are central to Wellington’s “The Three Wisewomen” school play, reimagined for modern times.
Otto, who led animation on Dragons versus Vikings hit How To Train Your Dragon, stylizes the town and its families with care and charm. But beyond visuals, Curtis examines how tradition evolves to suit new generations. Themes of belonging, anxiety, and community become magnified at Christmas. If feeling alone, “the magnifier gets to work,” as Santa explains. And yet, through the resilience of children and their celebrations, the spirit of goodwill is reaffirmed.
While not reinventing the genre, That Christmas taps into what makes Curtis’ past works beloved—authentic tales of ordinary people. This snapshot of coastal life around Yuletide promises fun for all ages, a reminder that Christmas comes in many forms, and optimism even amid crises, through the eyes of its young stars on this enchanted English isle.
Characters and Tales of Christmas Past
Let’s explore some of That Christmas’s key characters. Danny just moved to town with his mom after his parents’ separation. Still missing his father, the shy lad finds comfort in Sam, though she’s distracted by her mischievous twin Charlie. Looking through different eyes, we see Danny and Sam see Christmas.
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Bernadette breathes new life into traditions with her vibrant school play. Yet responsibility arrives when adults depart in a storm, leaving kids in her capable hands. Elsewhere, loneliness haunts formidable teacher Ms. Trapper. How might she and Danny connect through shared hardship?
The film deftly juggles tales that drift yet remain tethered. Bernadette’s modern pageant sets our scene just before a blizzard strands grownups. Danny pines for his dad while Sam frets over family. Their arcs play out beside young friendships forged and life lessons learned.
Some find the stories too separate—I see them as windows into parallel Christmas pasts and presents, each window casting light through another. Firm in character yet loose in form, the adaptation respects the spirit of Richard Curtis’ seasonal books. And while themes could dig deeper, the lightness of touch leaves space for imagination to work its magic.
Overall, the film charms with its cast of quirky characters, inviting us into their lives, if only for an afternoon. They feel fully formed yet allow for our interpretation of challenges faced with warmth, wisdom, and humor enough for all.
Holiday Haven: Bringing Wellington to Life
This coastal town acts almost as a character itself. Meticulously crafted environments immerse us in each family’s world, from cozy living rooms to the hospital’s hectic halls. We feel the town’s heart.
Animation brings the village of Wellington-on-Sea to colorful life. Intricate designs populate this sleepy slice of England, lending personality. Crammed with characters, yet each home feels distinct. The lighthouse especially comes to life under diligent care from its keeper.
Dynamic visuals engage us in the adventure. Santa braves a blizzard in a tour-de-force scene utilizing nature’s wrath. Snow dances dramatically with winds while our Christmas icon soldiers on. Characterizations also shine through appearances and motions. Uptight Ms. Trapper stands unlike free-spirited Bernie, for example.
While humanlike, the people of Wellington exhibit charm through animal qualities. Danny resembles, well, chickpeas—an endearing masquerade for one so self-conscious. Design captures moods; Sam fingering strands when stressed, Charlie embracing chaos. The twins seem anything but as prescribed.
Artists lavished care, but room remains. Backdrops sometimes lack depth and action sequences lack depth. More environment interaction could further suspend our holiday spirit. Yet productions thrive journeying with these familiar characters, guiding us through life’s stresses to Christmas’ messages of hope.
Holiday Hope amid Change and Chaos
That Christmas explores timeless themes with care. Loneliness haunts Danny after parents split, his longing relatable to families today. Sam and Charlie show anxiety comes in all forms; we learn accepting ourselves and sisters.
Traditions evolve, yet community endures. Bernadette’s play revisions Christmas for a new age. In a fragmented world, the message resonates—this holiday binds through shared joy, not rigid rituals. Curtis draws from his oeuvre like Love Actually in magnifying emotions.
Yet Wellington’s residents uphold each other with empathy, redefining family as who uplifts us. Disparate lives intersect through Mrs. Trapper’s lessons and Danny’s curiosity. Their bond gives solace to the isolated and moves all toward understanding.
Beneath surface chaos, hope emerges. When crises strike and storms separate, the town’s resilient spirit shines through children embracing each lonely soul. Though modern anxieties intrude and changes come, Christmas’ message proves sturdier—that through shared goodness, spirit lifts in even the darkest nights. Our young stars remind us that true gifts need no ribbons—only open and caring hearts.
The True Meaning of Christmas
What makes the season so special? That Christmas celebrates the magic children find at Yuletide, from singing about a savior’s birth to hopes of gifts from a jolly old man. Decorated trees and stockings hung with care send spirits soaring, as does simply believing.
For Wellington’s youngsters, the mood is alive even when adults depart. As snow seals families apart, Bernadette’s play breathes life into traditions—her pageant echoes modern sensibilities yet stirs ancient wonder. And faced with parenting alone, the novice proves equal to the task.
Under starry skies and moonlight, the kids refuse to see Christmas ruined. Making merry with carols and games, they remind us happiness depends not on lavish presents or fancy feasts alone, but on the fellowship found even in life’s lonely spots. Laughter rises as Charlie’s mischief merrily mortifies her sister, and fond reflections of times shared warm hearts grow cold.
Santa arrives not with the finest gifts but understanding no child stands neglected, that each face lightens this darkest of nights. Subtle lessons show in days to follow, as Danny learns looking outward cures inward pains and lonely Ms. Trapper discovers community where she expected judgment.
Heartwarming without saccharine sentiment, That Christmas nails the true spirit celebrated each December—that hope, charity, and human bonds triumph over any storm. Its message proves timeless; its magic is forever accessible to young and old through youthful eyes that see light where we see darkness.
Laughter and Love among the Lights
Beneath festive fanfare pulsate deeper emotions. That Christmas strikes just the balance, entertaining through Charlie’s antics yet honoring hardship. Her pranks are exasperate yet display spirit untamed, reminding laughter heals where words fall short.
Danny’s longing for his father shows another face of Christmas—that loneliness lingers though lights blaze. But glimmers of joy surface, like when Ms. Trapper’s strict shell cracks. Their bond gifts Danny eyes to see beyond what’s missing, to a community embracing all in need.
Sentiment stays real through feeling fully felt. Shared merriment and acts of care melt ice surrounding tender souls. When crises strike and loved ones stay distanced, Wellington’s young lead us to light through faith in each other.
Comedycharms without trivializing life’s difficulties. Rather, humor helps children understand adversity in the living of it—that even tears may dance. This whispers hope where hopelessness might creep in.
In tying tales’ ends with affection’s bow, Curtis, Souter, and Otto remind what Christmas truly means: not smiles alone, but empathy, courage, and compassion beneath—the spirits sustaining us each day, dark or bright. With wit and heart in equal measure, their cinematic gift instills all who view it the same.
The Spirit of Christmas Present
With charm and heart, That Christmas captures Yuletide magic that feels accessible yet timeless. While not redefining the genre, its characters and coastal hamlet create a festive sense of community that sticks with you.
The movie succeeds in being fun for both children and parents with fond memories of similar tales. Young ones will delight in its adventurous kids, and we older viewers will relish in moments mirroring our own holidays past. Animation brings the season to life without drastic steps that risk aging rapidly.
Instead, Otto, Curtis, and their team tap something fundamental and share it simply. Their story espouses hopes we all need reminding of as winter darkness looms—that togetherness, optimism, and human empathy thrive wherever we find them, lightening even the bleakest of days.
On Netflix, the film finds a fitting modern home. Their catalog gains another treat to resurface when mulled wine and twinkling lights lift seasonal spirits once more. Though no Yuletide classic, That Christmas is a heartwarming way to feel the presence of Christmas present.
The Review
That Christmas
That Christmas offers little in the way of surprises but succeeds charmingly in its aim to spread holiday cheer. Richard Curtis' heartwarming vision of interwoven lives, anchored by compelling child characters, makes for an enjoyable animated outing with the whole family in mind. While not revolutionary, its storytelling and emphasis on community warmth earn it a spot among the season's comfort viewing.
PROS
- Engaging child characters and their interwoven stories
- Sense of community in the fictional town of Wellington-on-Sea
- Captures the magical spirit of Christmas for kids.
- Heartwarming messages of fellowship, hope, and optimism
- Familiar yet funny references to Richard Curtis' past works
CONS
- Predictable plot without many surprises
- Underdeveloped resolutions for some storylines
- Animation style lacks polish of major studios
- Tone may prove uneven for mixing kid comedy and drama.
- Fails to innovate on the Christmas film genre
