Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Holiday romcom has sex, drinking, drugs, mild language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
EXmas
What's the Story?
In EXMAS, couple Ali (Leighton Meester) and Graham (Robbie Amell) have broken off their engagement, meaning both will have to spend the holidays alone. That is, until Graham decides to surprise his family in Minnesota. Arriving home, he discovers his parents, Jeannie (Kathryn Greenwood) and Dennis (Michael Hitchcock), invited Ali to spend the holidays with them in his absence. Digging in their heels, Graham and Ali wager a bet on who will get sent home first, and they compete to ingratiate themselves with the Christmas-obsessed Jeannie. Will the holiday spirit help them rekindle their unresolved feelings?
Is It Any Good?
This formulaic holiday romcom will give viewers a definite sense of deja vu and could have set up its characters' backstory better, but a bit of late-act drama and an appealing cast save it. EXmas is not the first Christmas movie built around a celebrity (Meester), and its overzealous family and squabbling will-they-or-won't-they leads feel familiar too. The relationship between now ex-fiancés Ali and Graham is rushed through in a brisk 5-minute intro that offers explanation but no depth of feeling. A bit more patience in the set-up would have helped articulate the film's central conflict. When things slow down and the tone switches from ridiculous rivalry to genuine emotion, things improve, allowing EXmas to end on a satisfying, yes-of-course-they-will note.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why Christmas is so often used as a background for romantic comedies, like in EXmas. Does this film remind you of others you've watched?
In what ways does the film use its secondary characters to increase diversity and inclusion?
Who do you think was in the right -- Graham or Ali? Why?
What's your favorite holiday movie? How does this one compare?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : November 17, 2023
- Cast : Leighton Meester , Robbie Amell , Kathryn Greenwood
- Director : Jonah Feingold
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Amazon Freevee
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , Holidays
- Run time : 93 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : sexual material, drug content and some language
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate