The Loss Adjuster
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The Loss Adjuster
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Loss Adjuster is a British Christmas comedy drama that deals with quite adult themes including death, financial issues, affairs, and criminal activities. Deep in debt and with his wife having recently left him, Martin Dyer (Luke Goss) is at rock bottom. But with the help from an unlikely friend and a renewed positive attitude, Martin begins to find hope. The movie features some strong and frequent mild language including "s--t" and "bastard." A death is shown on screen and there is a scene with a funeral. Alcohol is consumed, but not excessively. There are mild sexual references, and a couple is shown in bed, naked under the sheets, presumably having just had sex. There is also a character who is a sex worker. It doesn't paint life in black and white but shows some characters who engage in illegal activities to also have good qualities. Although many of the situations in the movie are serious, there are some warm and funny moments to lighten the tone.
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Cracking British Fllm
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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
- Studio: Trinity Creative Partnership
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Holidays
- Character Strengths: Integrity, Perseverance
- Run time: 100 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: November 24, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
-
It's a Wonderful Life
This classic delivers warmth all year long.
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A Christmas Carol (1984)
Bleak but solid adaptation of Dickens' classic.
-
Love Actually
Romantic and entertaining -- for older teens.
For kids who love movies about the holidays
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