As a connoisseur of all things Christmas, I must say that “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” has truly captured my heart. This delightful holiday dramedy, directed by Dallas Jenkins, feels like a warm hug on a frosty winter’s night. The film, based on Barbara Robinson’s beloved novel, is a potential new addition to our annual viewing list.
I truly appreciate Christmas films, whether they’re old or new, serious or funny. There’s a vast selection that my family and I watch every holiday season. However, these movies only seem to touch me during the Christmas period itself. For me, that period begins in earnest on the day after Thanksgiving. Therefore, watching and critiquing a fresh Christmas movie outside of those self-imposed boundaries can be a bit risky.
However, let me give a nod to “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”, a delightfully funny and heartwarming holiday comedy-drama directed by Dallas Jenkins. The script was penned by Ryan Swanson, Platte Clark, and Darin McDaniel, who brought warmth and friendliness to this family-oriented film. This adaptation of Barbara Robinson’s 1972 classic children’s book is poised to become a future Christmas staple.
In a similar vein to the cherished Christmas tale “A Christmas Story”, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” tells a heartwarming story from a childhood perspective, but with a fresh twist. Instead of the character Ralphie, this narrative revolves around young Beth Bradley (Molly Belle Wright), who resides in the quaint town of Emmanuel along with her mother Grace (played by Judy Greer) and father Bob (Pete Holmes), as well as her younger brother Charlie (Sebastian Billingsley-Rodriguez).
Emmanuel is widely recognized for two distinct aspects: an annual Christmas production that’s approaching its 75th year, and a notorious group of kids known as the Herdmans. These kids are from the rougher part of town and have a reputation for dishonesty, violence, bullying, cursing, stealing, and occasionally setting fires in the community. It goes without saying that everyone in Emmanuel is familiar with the six troublemakers – Ralph, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, Gladys, and their formidable leader, Imogene.
This year’s pageant is eagerly awaited as the largest event yet. However, things change dramatically when the long-standing organizer and director, Mrs. Armstrong (Mariam Bernstein), suffers a fall and fractures both legs. With no one else ready to take charge, Grace steps forward to manage this year’s pageant. This selfless act turns out to be a greater challenge than she could have imagined.
At the local church, Grace conducts her initial auditions for the Nativity play. However, she’s taken aback when the unruly Herdmans burst onto the scene, arrogantly claiming the most prominent roles. They even dare any other children to challenge them. Imogene, their rough and boisterous leader, asserts her desire to play Mary, which infuriates several parents. Now, Grace is in a difficult situation. She could allow the non-churchgoing Herdmans to participate, potentially ruining the church’s 75-year-old Christmas pageant tradition. Alternatively, she might replace them, sacrificing the true spirit of the holiday season in the process.
This movie is easy to understand as it generally follows familiar patterns for Christmas movies. However, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” stands out with its enchanting appeal and genuine sincerity that avoids being overly sweet. It’s also consistently amusing and surprisingly self-aware. Despite having a message to convey, it doesn’t resort to heavy-handed delivery. Instead, the message weaves seamlessly through the narrative, from its humorous start to its heartfelt conclusion.
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2024-11-11 18:56