A new Christmas classic has arrived.
Honestly, you had me hooked with the idea of Danny Devito operating a hotel in the Italian countryside. I didn’t expect this Christmas comedy - which also happens to feature a standout performance from Andie MacDowell - to be so damn complex and engaging . . . and filled with so many wonderful characters!
When it comes to Christmas movies - you know, the feel good romantic comedies that are just filled with cheese that it practically oozes off the sides - there are plenty to choose from. The ones with real passion - filled with earnest moments and a truth which is hard to ignore - are not so easy to find, especially if they aren’t already recognized as classics. A Sudden Case of Christmas, now streaming on Hulu and just released theatrically in Italy, falls under the latter. This truly is a special film which more audiences need to see and appreciate.
Operating as a remake of an earlier Italian movie, A Sudden Case of Christmas gets its emotions just right, centering itself around a young girl named Claire (Antonella Rose, who is just too perfect in this film) whose parents take her to her grandfather's hotel in Italy, her favorite place to be, just to tell her that they are getting a divorce. If it sounds mean, just know that their hearts are in the right place when it comes to her. They want her to be surrounded by security and warmth and, as she absolutely loves Italy, the hotel, and her grandfather, it seems like a no-brainer.
But they never expected her to demand Christmas. It’s a consequence when she figures out what’s happening. The girl doesn’t need to be told; she’s very insightful and - thanks to her grandfather’s gentle guidance - she figures that her parents, even if it is in the middle of August, owe her one last Christmas together.
So grab the wreaths, get the lights strung outside the hotel, and get ready to sing some Christmas songs!
What follows is a fun and often unexpected joy of a film in which love is lost, rekindled, and Christmas is absolutely celebrated at the entirely wrong part of the year. Written by Peter Chelsom, Tinker Lindsay, Gianluca Bomprezzi, Neri Parenti, Federico Baccomo and Francesco Patierno, and directed by Chelsom (who also helmed The Mighty and Serendipity), the film is a focused attempt to bring one family together in unexpected ways with the backdrop of summer spreading all sorts of cheer for this rather dysfunctional family.
Perhaps it’s the picturesque setting of the Italian countryside which carries all the charm in this spirited movie. I mean, the scenery is fantastic! But I think the movie’s success has more to do with the quirkiness of this Christmas story pulling out all the stops with genuine characters, real heart, and a cast - which features fine performances from Wilmer Valderrama, Lucy DeVito, José Zúñiga, Adrian Dunbar, and Valeria Cavalli - that seals the deal on this film. They are perfect in their roles as a hot air balloon ride turns into poetic metaphor!
Also starring Mario de la Rosa, Francesco Salvi, Denis Conway, Kate Muda, and Matteo Miraglia as Niccoló, A Sudden Case of Christmas pulls off the miracle that most Christmas-themed movies cannot: reality. It’s a bumpy ride, for sure, but there is so much joy spread throughout this film that it’s hard to deny its presence as a new classic when it comes to Christmas movies.
Come celebrate the little moments in a fractured relationship and build new memories as one family learns the true meaning of Christmas . . . in August. A Sudden Case of Christmas, now streaming on Hulu, is everything a film like Love Actually wants to be: honest.
MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime: 91 mins
Director: Peter Chelsom
Writer: Peter Chelsom; Tinker Lindsay
Cast: Luca Bagnoli; Treyston Braine; Valeria Cavalli
Genre: Family | Holiday Comedy
Tagline: As long as there's love, there's Christmas,
Memorable Movie Quote: "And you two are gonna suck it up and act like you're having a good time and just do what everybody else does in the world."
Distributor: Hulu
Official Site: https://www.hulu.com/movie/a-sudden-case-of-christmas-2d596f64-3b62-449e-a6e6-0bc8cfa6f31e
Release Date: November 8, 2024
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: An American couple bring their 10-year-old daughter to her grandfather's hotel in Italy to tell her that they are separating. Hoping to bring them back together, she asks to celebrate one last Christmas together, even though it's August.
