For the first fifteen minutes of THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER, I felt like the film was too sweet and cloying. By the final 30 minutes, I was completely won over (I'm not crying, YOU'RE crying!) by a film that took me back to my childhood, to that Christmas feeling that's so much harder to rediscover and fully FEEL as an adult.
A great cast of young actors and some familiar adult comic faces make you feel at home. Judy Greer (Ant-Man, Jurassic World) stars as Grace, a caring Mom who's also hilariously transparent. In a weak moment, she volunteers to run the Christmas Emmanuel Pageant at her church on its 75th Anniversary. Can she fill the shoes of the staid woman who has run it (without letting one moment change) for decades?
Her husband Bob (comedian Pete Holmes from "Woman of the Hour") is shocked she would take on such responsibility, knowing that many people are just waiting for her to fail.
Their kids are shocked too.
Things for Grace take a real turn for the worse when the most unruly, rule breaking hooligan kids in their neighborhood, the dreaded half dozen Herdman children decide they want to be part of the play. Well, to be honest, they take over everything about the pageant.
The kids are perfectly cast, especially Beatrice Schneider as Imogene, the gang leader of the Herdman tribe. Schneider is hilarious and proves her dramatic chops are just as strong as her comic timing.
Molly Belle Wright (Deep Water) is also terrific as Grace & Bob's daughter Beth. She becomes our gateway to the Herdman children and as an adult (Lauren Graham) serves as our narrator of the holiday tale.
This is a faith based family film and after that rough start, never panders to its audience. It's messages about the true meaning of the holiday are endearing without being overbearing.
Without a doubt, it's the best telling of the nativity story since "A Charlie Brown Christmas" hit the CBS airwaves in the 1960's.
It's also actually a remake of the 1983 movie "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" starring Loretta Swit, shown on the ABC television network.
My memories of many candlelight midnight services are rooted deep in my veins. Hearing the congregation and my family singing "Silent Night" as the clock ticked past midnight into Christmas Day are a powerful part of my childhood.
The film tapped into the emotion of those moments, of lost family members, of the power of kindness, they all resonate, whether you go to church weekly, or have no core beliefs.
Kindness is kindness, plain and simple.
That message, wrapped in big holiday laughs, some touching moments and even some well timed flashbacks to the original Nativity story, plays beautifully.
Fun for the entire family, it's a new holiday treat that left us feeling as warm as a big ol' mug of hot cocoa.
THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER gets a surprising, nicely wrapped, heartfelt B.
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