Common Sense Media Review
By Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Festive dramedy has mild language, sexual references.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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The Loss Adjuster
What's the Story?
In THE LOSS ADJUSTER, Martin Dyer (Luke Goss) wakes up to discover his wife, Angie (Kym Marsh), is leaving him, while his unpaid bills are piling up higher than ever. As he sets off for a day of work -- meeting clients to check their insurance claims -- his day gets more and more difficult with advances from a generous widow, an encounter with a furious gardener, and a run-in with a teen thief. But gradually Martin learns the truth about his own marriage and begins to understand that sometimes it takes losing everything to finally be free.
Is It Any Good?
The Loss Adjuster, though very much set in reality, has a slight sense of magic to it, ensuring it's a respectable addition to the long list of movies that try to teach the true meaning of Christmas. It's bookended with a story about a rich man who falls from a plane, losing all his material possessions yet is found smiling as he hits the ground. It's an allegory that mirrors that of central character, Martin, played by Goss. Martin is the archetypal everyman -- put upon and uninspired, yet also kind and warm. He's not the funny one or the charming one, but he sure is the good one, which makes him easy to root for.
Though much of the movie is about difficult encounters, there are fleeting moments of connection that sparkle even more brightly amid the workaday drudgery. Joan Collins makes a typically glamorous appearance as a rich widow looking to make Martin her fancy man, and Martin Kemp proves an enjoyably unthreatening criminal mastermind along with his sweet-natured son, Sam (David Byrne). Moments of physical comedy and nimbly written exchanges add a lightness to a plot that may have felt somewhat gloomy were it not for our faith in the festive setting to produce some Christmas magic and bring us a happy ending.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what Martin learns during the course of The Loss Adjuster. What lessons does he learn? How does what he learns make him happier?
Think about some of the characters that do bad things in the movie. Do they also have any positive aspects to their personality? Discuss the idea that people can both do good and bad.
Talk about the language in the movie. Does it seem necessary or excessive? What does it contribute to the movie?
How does Martin's experiences reflect the allegory mentioned at the beginning and end of the movie?
How does this movie compare with other Christmas movies you've seen? Are there similarities?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : December 1, 2020
- Cast : Luke Goss , Kym Marsh , Joan Collins
- Director : Vincent Woods
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Trinity Creative Partnership
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Holidays
- Character Strengths : Integrity , Perseverance
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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