ALMOST CHRISTMAS

Almost Christmas offers a warm, heartfelt family story about grief, forgiveness, and learning to love one another after loss. The family’s church involvement and the father’s service to the church support its positive Christian, moral worldview. Sentimental memories of a beloved mother and wife may remind you of your own family.

The film also carries serious content concerns. It includes plenty of foul language, innuendo, an implied affair that is laughed off, a divorce treated similarly, dysfunctional behavior, alcohol use, and prescription drug abuse. Its family conflicts also do not create as much conflict or jeopardy as the story needs.

If you are an adult who can thoughtfully navigate those concerns, the film has enough warmth and moral substance to merit a viewing; for family movie night, choose another title.

After Walter Myers unexpectedly loses his beloved wife, he invites their four children and extended family to his home for their first Christmas without her.

His children arrive carrying personal struggles, strained relationships, and competing priorities. Rachel and Cheryl already have tension, Christian is distracted by his campaign, and Evan is still using prescription medicine after a football injury. With everyone finally under one roof, the family must discover whether they can love one another without their mother.

Three stars means this is a warm, worthwhile comedy with clear limitations. The film has heartfelt moments, sentimental memories, warm lighting, and a message about family, forgiveness, and love. Its resemblance to favorite movies from the 1990s gives it a familiar, inviting tone.

The weakness is dramatic. The story does not have enough conflict or jeopardy, even though the family’s grief and disagreements provide emotional material. The result is a pleasant and sometimes moving family comedy that falls short of being fully compelling.

The film centers an African-American family gathering for Christmas after the death of a beloved mother. It exalts family love, forgiveness, loyalty, service, and the willingness to remain connected through grief and conflict. A positive father figure is willing to do anything for his family, and the family eventually attends church together at Walter’s request.

The Christian moral perspective is present but mixed with immoral and dysfunctional behavior. The father is honored for his work with the church, while other family members admit they have not attended in years. The film’s treatment of an affair and divorce is a significant departure from a biblical view because both are laughed off rather than treated with appropriate seriousness. Prescription drug abuse, sexual innuendo, and other dysfunctional behavior also complicate the film’s positive message.

Still, the movie’s central longing is for a family to love and forgive one another despite pain. Scripture calls believers to this kind of love: “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly” (1 Peter 4:8).

Almost Christmas has warmth, heartfelt family moments, and a positive Christian moral center. But its strong language, sexual content, drug abuse, and casual treatment of an affair and divorce make it unsuitable for children and young teens. For discerning adults, it is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For a safer family night, see.