A Sudden Case of Christmas is a wonderful modern Christmas story that is surprisingly set against the backdrop of summer. Starring Danny DeVito as a doting grandfather who owns and operates a hotel in the Italian countryside, the film explores complex relationships with a comic twist. It has quality and charm, and it’s well worth a watch this holiday season.

Director Peter Chelsom Release Date November 8, 2024 Writers Peter Chelsom , Tinker Lindsay Cast Danny DeVito , Lucy DeVito , Andie MacDowell , Wilmer Valderrama , Antonella Rose , José Zúñiga , Valéria Cavalli , Roderick Hill , Tommaso Sacco Runtime 92 Minutes Expand

Every Christmas, Claire (Antonella Rose) and her parents travel to her grandfather’s hotel in the picturesque Italian countryside. Unlike previous years, however, her parents took her out several months early in the summer to share important news. After the revelation that her parents are planning to separate, Claire makes one request for their remaining time: to celebrate Christmas like they always do when they visit.

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A Sudden Case Of Christmas Delivers Great Comedy & Drama For The Whole Family
The Holiday Film Has A Unique Story & Execution

For any Christmas movie to succeed, it needs to do several things well. In general, this includes telling a story that takes place at or around Christmastime. Even Die Hard, a hotly contested “Christmas” movie, manages to do this. However, A Sudden Case of Christmas immediately sets itself apart by having it set outside the holiday season. Despite it being summer, the film brings Christmas to the characters in a way that feels genuine.

Despite the film being an independent production, it has all the quality and charm of a larger Christmas film, and it’s well worth a watch this holiday season.

This quirky shift from the norm immediately puts the movie into a category of its own, and when combined with DeVito’s incredible comedy, the whole story is elevated to become a modern and unique Christmas hit. Continuing this effort to break the mold, the film doesn’t revolve around a traditionally happy family, as the central parents are currently at the tail end of their marriage. But bringing all of these odd elements to the forefront makes for a better story.

The reality is that things get busy and stressful during the holiday season. So, when a film like A Sudden Case of Christmas puts that at the core of the story, it manages to resonate and connect in a way that other Christmas films cannot. Instead of outlandish Christmas miracles, there is a real, hard-working family at the center of the story who are just pushing through to make it work and put a smile on their kid’s face. Ultimately, that chaos and the cracks make the story authentic and fun.

A Surprise Christmas Takes A Lot Of Work
The Cast Is Up For The Task & Danny DeVito Isn’t Left To Carry The Film’s Comedy

Running a hotel is already a complex job, but churning out a festive season in August (against the wishes of some of your guests), entertaining family, and keeping the peace between a couple who are ready to part ways is a hefty burden. Thankfully, DeVito’s Lawrance is up to the task as he juggles these various issues with a smile and a joke at the ready. However, DeVito is not alone in carrying the comedic weight of the film.

It’s an easy-to-watch film with some deeper moments that had me reflecting and relating to the themes and messages at its core.

DeVito is joined by his real-life daughter, Lucy DeVito, who plays his onscreen daughter Abbie. Opposite Lucy is That ’70s Show star Wilmer Valderrama as her husband and Andie MacDowell as his mother. Each of these characters carries the brunt of the comedy beats in the movie and, thanks to their wealth of experience, they do an excellent job. However, there are multiple storylines playing out that frequently cross paths and sometimes clash.

Despite these small hiccups with winding narratives, the film continues to deliver fun, heartwarming moments and builds a thoughtful, heartwarming story. It’s an easy-to-watch film with some deeper moments that had me reflecting and relating to the themes and messages at its core. Among the busy landscape of Christmas films, A Sudden Case of Christmas is well worth watching, as it delivers something unique compared to the rest of the Christmas slate.

A Sudden Case of Christmas is now playing in select theaters and available on-demand and digital.

7/10 An American couple bring their 10-year-old daughter, Claire, to her grandfather’s hotel in Italy to tell her that they are separating. Hoping to bring them back together, Claire asks the entire family to celebrate one last Christmas together, even though it’s August.ProsDanny DeVito and the rest of the cast make this film what it isThe film follows several evolving relationships with each having satisfying developmentsThe film has a good theme and message ConsAntonella Rose is great and should have been used moreThe overlapping stories can get messy and confusing