Back home

Nativity!

218 votes

Producing House

Paul, charged with directing his school's Nativity play, falsely boasts that his ex-girlfriend plans to turn the production into a film.

movie

Status: Released

Released Date: 2009-11-27

Runtime: 106 mins

Director: Debbie Isitt

Writer: Debbie Isitt

Spoken language: English

Genres: Comedy, Family

Original title: Nativity!

Production Companies: BBC Film, Screen West Midlands, Mirrorball Films

Production Countries: United Kingdom

Reviews

r

r96sk
Silly and stupid, but it has a charm to it. <em>'Nativity!'</em> is not a film to be taken seriously, though there is entertainment in there. Martin Freeman does well as the flawed Mr. Maddens, while Marc Wootton fully commits to the role of somewhat dodgy Mr. Poppy - he can be irritating in parts, but all in all comes out more fun than annoying... albeit just. I also found Alan Carr surprisingly amusing as Patrick Burns. Interesting to see Clarke Peters, Ricky Tomlinson and Jason Watkins involved too. It's clearly made for families and young audiences, as such I think they did a good job with this. It works. It's sweet seeing the kid cast members have so much fun with it. Intrigued to see what the three sequels have in store.
2020-12-11

J

John Chard
As warm and as enchanting as a Whisky Mac. He's a failed actor, his girlfriend has left him and gone to make it big in America, and now, school teacher Paul Maddens has to direct the Nativity play. Worse still, after a little white bragging lie to an old rival, Maddens finds things escalating out of his control. Ah, the Christmas movie, a piece of work aimed at a certain market at a certain time of year. Many movies of Christmas past have been excruciatingly bad, either by losing sight of the holiday heart, or by going for a different angle at a season which is meant to be jolly. In the main then, the Crimble picture has been blighted by a train of thinking akin to damned if you do, damned if you don't. Debbie Isitt's Nativity! will not achieve any reviews proclaiming it to be refreshingly new, rightly so since it's a standard seasonal fare based story. What hopefully will be said is how utterly beguiling and warming the film is, so yeah! Basically a Christmas picture doing its job. Chiefly in its favour is that it has a naturalness to it that keeps its charm grounded. There's no miracle in the offering here, no boink over the head with a sledgehammer to enforce its message. Isitt is happy letting the film and its delightful characters go with the flow, the result ending up as being a fully involving experience. It helps too that the army of children (plucked from local auditions by Issitt) are adorable and funny in equal measure. Not that the adults come up short either. Martin Freeman (Maddens) gives a wonderfully controlled performance as the central character, while Marc Wooton as Mr. Poppy, a character showing the child in all us adults, almost steals the movie from the delightful moppet squad. It has its faults, such as a trip to America that quickly loses momentum, and if we are honest then surely the actual Nativity finale goes on a touch too long. But such missteps are easily forgiven given the impact as a whole. My cinema visiting group at Xmas 2009 consisted of 4 adults and 4 teenagers. As we filed out, there was a mixture of wet eyes and beaming smiles. So yeah! Job done for sure. 8/10 Footnotes: Xmas 2013. With a sequel hitting the theatres this Christmas I thought it time to revisit this film. Delighted to report that it still manages to warm the old cockles of my Xmas heart and remains a seasonal picture that I urge more folk to seek out. Xmas 2015. Rewatched, still lovely.
2015-12-27

Recommendations

Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale
3.4

Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale

2007-10-02

Christmas is never so spirited as when Tom and Jerry lock horns for the holidays in their new origin

Cow Belles
2.8

Cow Belles

2006-03-24

In order to learn how to be responsible, two wealthy teen sisters are forced to work in the family b

Delivery by Christmas
3

Delivery by Christmas

2022-12-06

When a spiteful coworker sabotages her deliveries, a courier and a helpful customer must race to ret

I Believe in Santa
2.6

I Believe in Santa

2022-12-14

Lisa thinks she's finally met the man of her dreams until she finds out he still believes in Santa C

Jackie & Ryan
2.9

Jackie & Ryan

2014-09-01

A modern day train hopper fighting to be a successful musician and a single mom battling to maintain

Ein Fall fĂ¼r den Fuchs - Ăœber den Dächern von Frankfurt
0

Ein Fall fĂ¼r den Fuchs - Ăœber den Dächern von Frankfurt

2006-11-22

Merry Madagascar
3.3

Merry Madagascar

2009-11-16

While trapped on the island of Madagascar, the Central Park Zoo escapees receive a visit from Santa-

La Belle Verte
3.6

La Belle Verte

1996-09-18

As part of an intergalactic coalition, a well-meaning space alien volunteers to bring a message of s

Make the Yuletide Gay
3

Make the Yuletide Gay

2009-11-01

The holidays get overly festive as Olaf "Gunn" Gunnunderson, an out-and-proud gay college student, c

More About the Children of Noisy Village
3.3

More About the Children of Noisy Village

1987-09-05

There are only a handful of children living in Bullarby. This film follows their story through the f

Annie
3.2

Annie

1999-11-07

Things seem pretty bad for a young girl living a "hard-knock life" in an orphanage. Fed up with the

Ein Vater zu Weihnachten
2.8

Ein Vater zu Weihnachten

2001-12-06

"Mom, tell her he exists!" Taffy begs her mother Julia. Her stupid classmate doesn't believe that Ta

Cash Cow
0

Cash Cow

2007-04-20

CASH COW takes Warhol's concept of 15 Minutes of Fame (surging from obscurity; becoming a media darl

The Flight Before Christmas
2.9

The Flight Before Christmas

2008-09-22

A young reindeer named Niko dreams about flying like his father, whom he has never met. Despite cons

Christmas Is Here Again
2

Christmas Is Here Again

2007-10-20

When the evil Krad steals Santa's toy bag, he crushes the holiday spirit- and over time, the world's

Felicity: An American Girl Adventure
3.4

Felicity: An American Girl Adventure

2005-11-29

A pre-American Revolution Virginian girl's love for the outdoors leads to the friendship of a lifeti

Ernstfall in Havanna
2.7

Ernstfall in Havanna

2002-03-14

Stefan Balsiger is a congenial, average councillor to the Swiss embassy in Havanna. While accompanyi

A Christmas Carol
3.5

A Christmas Carol

1938-12-16

Miser Ebenezer Scrooge is awakened on Christmas Eve by spirits who reveal to him his own miserable e

Nothing Like the Holidays
3.1

Nothing Like the Holidays

2008-12-12

It’s Christmastime and the far-flung members of the Rodriguez family are converging at their parents

Snowball's Christmas Tails By the Fire
0

Snowball's Christmas Tails By the Fire

2016-01-01

A cute puppy and his friends narrate Christmas stories with Christian themes by the fireplace.