Father Christmas Is Back

Father Christmas Is Back

Four sisters – Caroline, Joanna, Paulina, and Vicky – reunite for the Christmas Holiday in a Yorkshire mansion. However, their estranged father, James, joins in for the first time since he left the family behind decades prior. The group attempts to get through the holiday despite comedic misunderstandings, while also uncovering the long-buried secret that tore their family apart, so many years ago.

  • Released: 2021-11-07
  • Runtime: 105 minutes
  • Genre: Comedy, Family
  • Stars: Nathalie Cox, Talulah Riley, Elizabeth Hurley, Kelsey Grammer, John Cleese, Caroline Quentin, April Bowlby, Kris Marshall, Ray Fearon, Katy Brand, Ania Marson, Naomi Frederick, Amelie Prescott, Janie Booth, Bryan Samson
  • Director: Philippe Martinez, Mick Davis
 Comments
  • katcherj - 26 December 2023
    HORRIBLE! (I'd use stronger language, but it would be censored)
    I hate reviews that simply say the movie was awful, but don't explain why. However, this movie is awful in every possible way and there is not nearly enough space to completely explain why. I'll jump directly to the big reveal as to why Father Christmas left and came back. Yeah, it's a SPOILER, but it's like learning there's a dead fly in your curdled milk. James Christmas abandoned his family on Christmas Day and had absolutely no contact with them for 27 years, because he learned that his brother had knocked his wife some years before. He had been raising the child as his own for (three?) years, but he just walked out on everyone and had no contact. No, it makes no sense, and it isn't heart-warming when it's revealed. Then, as to why he came back, well that's because his niece/daughter came to visit, and so he just realized it was time to put an end to his staying away. Huh?! That "epiphany" wasn't even done on camera. He simply told his son-in-law about it after he had revealed to the rest of the family why he left.

    The movie is worthless. The gags are cheesy. Nobody behaves as a normal human being would. It was a complete waste of time.
  • merlincym - 20 August 2023
    what could possibly go wrong?
    Well, what could possibly go wrong with a film that actually has a reasonable story, a bunch of good actors, and involves christmas?

    Apparently a heck of a lot!

    Where to start. Well for me the first thing was it was obvioulsy filmed during summer, a northern hemisphere summer when christmas is still another 6 or so months away. From that moment on it just kept on getting worse.

    Virtually everyone played their role with tongues well and truely cheeks.

    I'm guessing the pay cheques were big enough to turn a blind eye to the dredfully direction.

    This is THE WORSE christmas film ......... ever!
  • danieljfarthing - 11 December 2022
    Dire Brit Crimbo comedy with sub-tv-standard production values & writing, and truly atrocious performances all round
    Brit Crimbo comedies are generally poor, with none poorer than the DIRE "Father Christmas Is Back" in which annoying middle-aged sisters Elizabeth Hurley (dreadful), Talulah Riley, Naomi Frederick & Nathalie Cox (abysmal) gather for Crimbo at Cox's mansion with their mum Caroline Quentin and menfolk like Kris Marshall, John Cleese & Ray Fearon - and then their decades estranged dad Kelsey Grammer pitches up (with crass April Bowlby) to wreak 'hilarious' (not!) havoc. After such sub-tv-standard production values & script, and truly atrocious performances all round, co-directors Mick Davis & Phillipe Martinez and their writers should just quit. A stinking turd.
  • hollyszewczyk - 17 January 2022
    This was awesome!
    I thought this movie was hysterically cute! Don't listen to the negatives, the cast is great too! I love the overall message from the family too. Kelseyville Grammar shines as always, Elizabeth Hurley is hysterical, love John Cleese also.
  • debdshaw60 - 24 December 2021
    A 5 because I can't tell if it's supposed to be this bad
    The men are great and have great chemistry together. Every woman in the "family" is shrill, nasty, ugly in spirit, and unflinchingly awful people. The actresses are so bad. Not surprising to see Liz Hurley being terrible but I'm unfamiliar with the other women but they could take acting lessons from Hallmark movies. Scary but true. The children are better actresses than these women. The American character is just offensive.

    Is it a parody? Is it just a terrible movie?

    We decided to watch because of Chris Marshall, John Cleese, and Kelsey Grammar. They are the only real bright spots.

    The situations are ridiculous. Seriously... skip this one and find a Hallmark movie. It will have a more cohesive plot than this has. If you want a really bad Christmas movie that's so bad it's fun? Watch Snow and Snow 2.