Based on the book of the same name by best-selling author Matt Haig, "A Boy Called Christmas" is a late entry into the year's best family films, offering up a delightful festive fairytale with a powerful message of spreading kindness, joy, and hope — a sentiment for all seasons, not just Christmas.
With a starry cast that includes Maggie Smith, Jim Broadbent, Sally Hawkins, and young newcomer Henry Lawfull, the film offers an alternative origin story of Father Christmas filled with talking critters, lavish costumes, and snowy scenes. Matt Haig's books often openly talk about mental health and while this is more subtly woven into "A Boy Called Christmas," it is still very much present. Haig described it in an interview with The Big Issue as "a story about grief and loss, and how you find hope after those things."
The film has a wonderful sense of curiosity to it as it explores the complicated emotions associated with loss, and while older children and adults may find something to grapple with regarding those themes, there's still plenty for younger kids to enjoy, with the cutest talking mouse outside of a Disney movie and plenty of adventure.
Widely available to stream, "A Boy Called Christmas" is a festive treat that everyone can enjoy, and it has so far received favorable critic reviews. Nell Minow, writing for RogerEbert.com, called it "a resplendent Santa Claus origin story." It currently has an 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
