Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Well-acted holiday dramedy has drinking, mature themes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Happy Christmas
What's the Story?
HAPPY CHRISTMAS is a dramedy set in Chicago. Jeff (writer-director Joe Swanberg) is an independent film director living happily with his author wife, Kelly (Melanie Lynskey), and their baby boy, Jude (Jude Swanberg, Joe's actual son). But their early lives are turned upside down when, just before Christmas, Jeff's little sister, Jenny (Anna Kendrick), turns up for an extended stay after a difficult break-up. Jeff and Kelly think the 27-year-old Jenny will be up for babysitting and helping around the house until she gets a job and settles into the city, but it quickly becomes clear that Jenny is a mess who wants to spend her time partying, hooking up, and acting irresponsibly.
Is It Any Good?
The subtlety of Swanberg's films is always notable, but Happy Christmas is slightly too uneven to be his best work. Swanberg is famous in indie circles for his semi-improvisational, ultra-realistic mumblecore indie dramas, with his last film before this one, Drinking Buddies, being his most commercially successful. His style can lead to uneven results. While some actors are up to the task of taking the concept of their roles and running with them, others seem stifled rather than empowered by the unscripted portrayals. Kendrick, who was good in Drinking Buddies, seems unable to fully capture what Jenny is about, whereas Swanberg and Lena Dunham, who plays Jenny's old friend, Carson, know exactly how to add layers of humor and depth while still keeping it real.
Probably the biggest scene-stealer of all is Swanberg's baby, Jude, already a veteran "actor" who has appeared in both of his parents' projects (mom is Kris Swanberg, who makes a brief appearance here as the landlord of a messy house share that Jenny visits). Baby Jude's attempts to talk and kiss and cuddle his dad and other characters are ridiculously genuine and sweet, and they make Joe and Kelly, the new parents trying to figure out how to balance their parental obligations with their professional aspirations, much more compelling than Jenny, who's a lot less self aware than the striving Girls characters Dunham created.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether the improvisational nature of the Happy Christmas screenplay was obvious. Do you prefer improvisation in comedies or dramas? Why?
Parents can discuss how the movie presents drinking and drug use. Do you think Jenny parties too much? Does her behavior seem believable? What are the consequences for her hard partying? Are they realistic?
What's the movie's message? Who do you think it's aimed at?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 25, 2014
- On DVD or streaming : November 11, 2014
- Cast : Anna Kendrick , Joe Swanberg , Melanie Lynskey
- Director : Joe Swanberg
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Magnolia Pictures
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Friendship , Holidays
- Run time : 88 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language, drug use and some sexual content
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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