Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Chaotic family celebrates Christmas; drugs, some violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
An Unremarkable Christmas
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
AN UNREMARKABLE CHRISTMAS is anything but as accountant Juan (Antonio Sanint) brings home Gustavo (Luis Eduardo Arango), his boss, for a homey Christmas. Though hopelessly untalented, Juan dreams of being a magician in Las Vegas. He hopes to persuade Gustavo to book him as an entertainer in one of his Vegas hotels. Back at his chaotic home, college dropout Samuel (Julian Cerati) comes home with a nun-who-isn't-a-nun girlfriend Rosalba (Majo Vargas), and daughter Monica introduces her boyfriend Destroyer (Fredy Morales), a mohawked, weed-smoking slacker. Juan's wife Margot (Maria Cecilia Sanchez) puts up with Juan's absurd dreams and the kids' many quirks, making her the movie's most normal character. Her overbearing mother Amalia (Aura Cristina Geithner) shows up with her latest, far younger fiancé Martin (Martin Karpan), an oily gigolo who claims to be a supermodel and wealthy entrepreneur. He comes on relentlessly to Margot right in front of Juan and Amalia. Gustavo is actually a mafia boss looking to launder money and sees Juan and Martin as perfect stooges for his nefarious plan. Everyone asks the Immaculate Conception and the Virgin Mary for assistance, except for the atheists, who include a peripheral set of inept police officers.
Is It Any Good?
An Unremarkable Christmas mightily tests an audience's patience as it meanders chaotically from one ridiculous and pointless scene to the next. The main set, Juan's Christmas-decorated home, looks like an explosion in a glitter factory. The attempts at comedy are inept and unfunny and the unfortunate cast members, many of whom may well be capable, are asked to struggle within a dreadful script that echoes clichés and stereotypes of other, better movies and goes nowhere.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about holiday comedies. How does this one compare to others you've seen?
Why are so many movies set during the holidays?
Characters refer to each other as "stupid" and "moron" in the movie. Do you think movies about stupid people are inherently funny? Why or why not?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : January 1, 2020
- Cast : Antonio Sanint , Luis Eduardo Arango , Mariana Gomez , Julian Cerati , Aura Cristina Geithner , Maria Cecilia
- Director : Juan Camilo Pinzon
- Inclusion Information : Latino Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Holidays
- Run time : 82 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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