A Merry Little Ex-Mas

I adore seeing Christmas films and feeling hyped for the new year. This one's on every brits radar currently, and first thoughts would stem from average to perfectly mediocre experience, it fulls Inbetween them both. Nothing outstanding happens and the characters can be slightly unlikeable at times with the constant back and forth.

The Harry Potter guy seemed sweet and funny, but outside of that theirs really Nothing else. Even the main cast have little depth aside from a divorce and just getting new partners, it lacks any real depth. The couples even feel awkward trying to gain advantage of one another without really doing much on their own. It's played out for laughs, but it's just annoying and irritating to watch.

The couples look like they bearly know each other and it's just really bizarre. But the uncles are it's saving grace as they seemed fun to be around, and they have some better one-liners. Although that's not saying much, they still seem like they are happily together and their dynamic feels very fresh, due to their relentless back and forth tones that suit this movie nicely.

It's paced nicely, some scenes are fun to see and the characters all feel naturally written which is what I like, more natural here then in most scenes so as far as realism goes it feels very real. It doesn't seem so real as christmassy though, just seems like a plot-device to give the story some narrative and closure.

I think that because honestly theirs not much, mostly snow. But regardless it's a mindless, and entertaining flick without any real development or any drastic change in tempo from mediocre to good.

Kate and Everett decide to "consciously uncouple," but still insist on sharing one last family Christmas. Kate's taking it in her stride - until she discovers Everett has upgraded to Tess, a dazzling English rose who glides in like she's never known hardship or a badly lit kitchen.

If, like me, you fall victim to the infamous Netflix algorithm and are forced to endure this festive misery, consider this your warning. Don't let its chart position fool you - trust me, anyone who hit play before several eggnogs clearly wasn't thinking straight.

Prepare to be clobbered by a relentless barrage of sugar-fuelled torment. Kate is frostier than the rooftops, a loathsome character you're somehow meant to sympathise with. By comparison, Tess seems really rather lovely. It's not Alicia Silverstone's finest hour, sadly - Kate feels more like someone who should be haunting a Halloween sequel than decking the halls.

And then there's Nigel. Oh Nigel... the English Harry Potter devotee. He's excruciating. Truly appalling. He makes those caricature Brits from Murder, She Wrote look positively well-rounded.

Naturally, the Hallmark truck backs up and unloads its decorations budget (roughly equivalent to the GDP of a small nation). Brace yourself for endless baking scenes - the sort that only happen in fantasy Christmas kitchens where not a spoon, crumb, or mildly rebellious spatula is ever out of place.

The jokes land with a thud, and by the end you find yourself wishing they'd simply not bothered. The credits are the only warmth you'll feel during the entire experience.

We're meant to feel for Kate, the wronged wife, but frankly I'm surprised Everett didn't flee to Poland twenty years ago.

It's all rather loathsome.

2.5/10.

I love these kind of movies but this was.... Odd. The kids are oblivious to their mom's feelings, the mom is controlling but also loses it a lot, the dad says pretty much the most hurtful thing you can say to an ex-wife. I wanted to like this for Alicia Silverstone but the story was uncomfortable. Maybe watch it once?

Alicia Silverstone is completely unlikable in this. Normally she's cute and quirky and fun but in this movie she's naggy and whiny and miserable. I would divorce her too. And the daughter's boyfriend is over the top weird. I love Harry Potter, but this guy is just... no. The best part about this whole movie are all of the side characters. The grandpas are adorable, Melissa Joan Hart is a good friend and keeps it real as do the people who run cafe. I get trying to have an amicable Christmas with your ex, but this is just stressful to watch and I still have 46 minutes to go. I'm sure it's going to end in some sappy way, but So far this has been the longest 45 minutes of a movie I've ever watched.

Look, I knew what I was getting into with a Hallmark/Lifetime-type Christmas movie, and I'm OK with that, generally. However, at least in those movies, the actors are TRYING. In 'a merry little Ex-MAS', nearly every performance (except perhaps two) were clearly phoned in. And don't even get me started on the writing. There was absolutely no reason to prolong the story beyond the one hour mark. Well, on the bright side, watching this movie puts me one step closer to canceling my Netflix subscription. I'll sign back up when Bridgerton S4 drops!