A Cute Idea Undermined Before It Begins

Read Time:5 Minute, 36 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
The Christmas Letter
–

Genre: Comedy, Family, Holiday
Year Released: 2024
Runtime: 1h 34m
Director(s): Tori Hunter
Writer(s): Michael Cunningham
Cast: Angus Benfield, Deb Schneider, Emma Hullar, Chevy Chase, Randy Quaid, Brian Doyle-Murray, Brian Posehn, Kristoffer Polaha, Sean O’Bryan, Caley Chase
Where to Watch: available on UK digital now

RAVING REVIEW: Holiday comedies don’t need to reinvent the wheel to be enjoyable. Most rely on a simple formula: keep things light, create a cheerful backdrop, sprinkle in sentimentality and chaos, and let the cast carry the story. THE CHRISTMAS LETTER has every opportunity to fit into that category — the kind of seasonal distraction you can throw on without thinking, something to fill a cozy December evening with laughs and some familiar faces. In the right circumstances, that’s exactly what this could have been.

But circumstances matter. Casting matters. And sometimes, what happens outside a movie can bury whatever charm it has inside. That’s the unfortunate reality here: the film’s biggest problem isn’t its writing or even its modest production—it’s the unavoidable presence of Randy Quaid, whose offscreen behavior has overshadowed his work for years.

It’s frustrating because the movie is not an irredeemable experience. There are genuinely sweet moments scattered throughout, and the premise is harmless and heartfelt. The film follows a traditional holiday setup, the kind where misunderstandings build, family dynamics collide, and the plot resolves with warmth rather than logic. It’s designed to be simple, breezy entertainment—nothing groundbreaking, nothing ambitious—just holiday comfort. And there is a version of this same movie, with a different actor in Quaid’s slot, that very likely could have delivered that exact vibe.

Chevy Chase does what Chevy Chase does best: crack jokes, carry scenes through sheer charisma, and subtly maintain a sense of grounded silliness. Even in his later-career roles, there’s something inherently likable about seeing him pop into a holiday project. His public comments pushing back against an aspiring authoritarian in politics have also earned him goodwill with many viewers, adding a layer of relief that the legacy of NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION isn’t completely tarnished by association.

The problem is that every time Chase is on screen, there are other scenes with Quaid, creating a tonal dissonance that the movie can’t overcome. For many viewers, it’s impossible to separate Quaid’s long history of erratic offscreen behavior from what’s presented here. His mere presence pulls attention away from the story, the jokes, and even the attempt at holiday heart. Instead of enjoying the scene, you find yourself wondering why anyone thought this pairing was the right choice in 2024.

It becomes a distraction that the film can’t compete with. The script is light and functional, but not strong enough to overpower the uncomfortable cloud hanging over Quaid’s appearance. He isn’t terrible in the role, but he isn’t particularly invested either. There’s a stiffness to his performance that feels less like intentional comedic delivery and more like someone being placed in a situation they’re not fully connected to. Chase, meanwhile, gamely tries to generate the spark that once defined their chemistry, but the old magic just isn’t here. There are dozens of other actors who could’ve slotted into that position—any number of Chase’s old CHRISTMAS VACATION co-stars could have given this project the nostalgic lift it clearly wanted.

And that’s where the disappointment sets in. The idea of two iconic holiday comedy figures could’ve been fun in theory. Nostalgia is a powerful thing, and holiday movies thrive on nostalgia. But nostalgia is fragile. If the audience can’t separate the actor from his real-world controversies, then the experience becomes more uncomfortable than celebratory. Instead of a charming return to form, the film unintentionally highlights the gulf between who these actors were when audiences first met them and who they are now. Now, to be clear, neither is the film's main focus, but their presence was enough to leave a mark on the film.

Production-wise, the movie is perfectly serviceable. The cinematography is clean, the pacing is straightforward, and the holiday decor does exactly what it needs to. Nothing stands out as particularly inspired, but nothing is offensively bad either. It feels like a small team doing their best within a limited scope, and there’s a kind of earnestness in that. The tone aims for cozy and harmless, and when the movie isn’t tripping over its casting complications, it mostly succeeds at that gentle holiday mood.

THE CHRISTMAS LETTER ends up landing in a frustrating middle space. It’s not bad, not incompetent, not unsalvageable. It has moments of charm, some decent comedic timing, and a tone that could have made it a perfectly fine background holiday watch. But the casting choice drags everything down, transforming what could’ve been a pleasantly mediocre seasonal distraction into something harder to enjoy and even harder to recommend.

It’s a movie that needed one different decision — one different actor — to become the lightweight, cheerful holiday distraction it was clearly meant to be. Instead, it sits as a reminder that even the simplest projects can be derailed when the wrong shadow hangs over the screen.

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