Father and child sit together smiling while looking at a smart phone.

Want more recommendations for your family?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration

Parents' Guide to

Mule-Tide Christmas

By Grace Montgomery, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Dull holiday tale has creepy character, rude humor.

Movie PG 2014 73 minutes
Mule-Tide Christmas Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 9+

Based on 1 parent review

J J.
J J. Adult
November 30, 2016
age 9+

Well defined asses

This gem of an inspirational Christian tale features: -antisemitism against the implicitly Jewish imp who stole Christmas -child abuse -disparagement of the mentally disabled -racism in general -heteronormative relationships despite overt sexual tension between the male eight year olds -hints of polyamory -a pedophilic scary Santa who promotes child literacy

This title has:

Great messages
Too much violence
Too much sex
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Andy, who's training to be Santa's helper, is left alone to clean Santa's workshop. Sick of cleaning, Andy goes against Santa's direct orders and lets out the Imp of Mischief, who has been locked up by Santa. Instead of helping Andy as promised, the Imp escapes into the village to cause trouble. As the town starts setting up for the Christmas season, tensions begin to run high as everything starts to go wrong. Christmas lights go missing, doughnuts are poisoned, and someone glues the priest to his seat. Are the villagers out to get each other, or is it really the Imp at work? With the mayor threatening to cancel Christmas, Andy, with help from Santa and his trusty mule Napo, must try to capture the Imp and save the holiday.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

The title of this awkward flick is doubly misleading. First, the mule, who is billed as being the main character, is a small, annoying side character who doesn't really add much to the plot. And second, despite the inclusion of Santa Claus and the references to decorating for Christmas, there's a decided lack of Christmas cheer in the film. The existence of Santa and the holiday season feel like they were tacked on to add interest, but they feel almost like an afterthought. Altogether, there's something odd and clunky about the film, which drags and feels a bit dreary. The emphasis is mostly on people being mad at each other, which gets old pretty fast.

If you're looking for a fun, seasonal flick, this is one you can safely skip.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the misunderstandings in the film. Why do you think the characters jumped to conclusions and assumed their neighbors were being unkind?

  • Do you think this is an enjoyable holiday movie? What elements do you think are necessary for a successful holiday film?

  • What's your favorite holiday movie? Why is it your favorite?

Movie Details

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 suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

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