Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Holiday romcom with goofy premise; language and drinking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
No Sleep Til Christmas
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In NO SLEEP TIL CHRISTMAS, Lizzie (Odette Annable) is a high-strung, unspontaneous event planner who is six weeks away from her own New Year's Eve wedding to handsome surgeon Josh (Charles Michael Davis). Just when she needs to be at the top of her game for clients and her own imminent affair, she can't sleep. At all. Her work suffers. She can't politely manage her overbearing mother-in-law-to-be, she can't concentrate on anything, and there's no cure in sight. That is, until she nearly runs over a messy bartender named Billy (Dave Annable), who is out running at 3 a.m. because he, too, is an insomniac. Lizzie drives him to the hospital while they snipe at each other. Then they fall asleep in her car in the ER parking lot. When she wakes up refreshed the next morning, she is elated and propositions him to sleep (just sleep) with her on an ongoing basis in exchange for the funds he needs to open his own bar. What could possibly go wrong?
Is It Any Good?
Despite a completely absurd premise, No Sleep Til Christmas is kind of fun. The audience is asked to accept this ridiculous meet-cute situation in which a new couple spend most of their quality time together completely unconscious, but weirder movie plots have asked more of their audiences. It's notable that Lizzie tosses insults and barbs at Billy for not being grownup enough, yet his irresponsibility and spontaneity seem to attract her. With Dave and Odette Annable in the lead roles, the fact that they are in real life husband and wife may explain great chemistry and good comic timing between the two. Why their characters can sleep only in each other's presence is the story's central, unexplained given but, it's the holiday season. Miracles happen.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why Lizzie can't sleep. Is she anxious about her impending marriage to a seemingly perfect guy who she is nevertheless not relaxed enough to sleep with?
Does the wacky premise make this movie too silly to watch or does the outright absurdity and the actors' willingness to go for it make it fun? Why?
Does this movie embody the spirit of the holiday season? If yes, in what ways?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : December 10, 2018
- Cast : Odette Annable , Dave Annable , Charles Michael Davis
- Director : Phil Traill
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : Holidays
- Run time : 85 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : November 18, 2025
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