A Sudden Case of Christmas has Danny DeVito and his daughter Lucy leading a folksy ensemble in a spirited holiday romp about the value of family during the holidays. The rub here is that Christmas takes place in August because of an impending divorce. Shenanigans predictably ensue as the likable characters hide big secrets and juggle various relationship problems while a precocious girl documents the festive fray. The film avoids being overly sentimental with a few naughty bits meant to spike the eggnog.
Jacob Randall (Wilmer Valderrama) and his wife Abbie (Lucy Devito) sing Christmas carols with their young daughter Claire (Antonella Rose) as the family drives towards Italy’s picturesque Dolemite Mountains. Rose’s father, Lawrance (Danny DeVito), owns a boutique hotel where everyone usually congregates for Christmas. Jacob’s parents, Rose (Andie MacDowell) and Mark (José Zúñiga), are also en route to join them. We quickly learn it’s not December but August as the Randalls want the whole clan to celebrate the holidays together.
At the hotel, Lawrance is jubilant to see his beloved Claire when they arrive. Otto (Adrian Dunbar), his dutiful hotel manager / bellhop / concierge / maître d’, has begun the process of turning the hotel into a Christmas wonderland, much to the annoyance of Lawrance’s most important guest, a disgruntled millionaire (Denis Conway) with his daughter. The hugs and kisses take a serious turn when Jacob and Rose pull Lawrance away to explain their real reason for visiting during the summer. They’re getting a divorce and thought telling Claire at the hotel, her favorite place, would lessen the shocking news.
Christmas Shenanigans with the DeVitos
A Sudden Case of Christmas feels like an extended sitcom as the pratfalls and awkward encounters run deliriously amok. It’s a carnival of near buffoonery with each character doing their darndest to avoid painful truths. The deceptions continue with the arrival of Rose and Mark. It turns out that the buttoned up Mark had a steamy one-night stand with another guest during his last visit. Mark immediately hides when he sees Claudia (Valeria Cavalli) in the lobby.
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Zúñiga, an accomplished character actor known for his extensive TV (24, CSI, Madame Secretary) and feature film (Alive, Twilight) credits, steals the show as Mark. Let’s just say he goes to extreme efforts to hide his dalliance. The comedy twists his angst further when, of course, Rose finds a new bestie in Claudia.
Danny DeVito plays to type with a big smile and twinkle in his eyes throughout. Lawrance ends up being the circus ringmaster as he juggles all the secrets with trying to keep his hotel in business. His warm and fatherly humor succeeds in wrangling the many subplots in focus. Lawrance, a widower, cherishes the institution of marriage and wants to keep every couple together, but acknowledges that when something’s badly broken it may be irrevocable. The lesson for Claire is that not every romance lasts forever.
An Unfortunate Lack of Chemistry in a Movie About Relationships
A Sudden Case of Christmas treads into contrived melodrama with a specific lack of chemistry between Valderrama and Lucy DeVito. They have the most screen time of any pair but never seem to make a connection. This works in the beginning when they’re at odds. It’s understandable why they’ve tossed in the relationship towel. Director/co-writer Peter Chelsom (Serendipity, The Space Between Us) then spends the remaining narrative putting them in manufactured situations to stoke their dormant flames of love. You can see the sappy intent from a mile away. That’s acceptable if the characters are believable together in the first place. Jacob and Abbie mix like oil and water, so the expected rekindling is completely forced.
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Antonella Rose does a good job as Claire in her feature debut, but Chelsom overburdens the character with too much activity. Claire is the glue that binds everyone together. But she also has multiple subplots of young crushes and disappointment, and chronicles the overall story as it builds to the Christmas-in-August climax. This is shown as Claire filming a documentary and putting trinkets on a tree as events unfold. She becomes an unnecessary narrator that slows the pacing. The goal is to see her version of the story in a feel-good ending, but we already watched everything develop. There’s literally no reason for a recap. This may have seemed like a good idea in the script, but it certainly doesn’t work on screen.
A Beautiful Italian Christmas
What does work is the visual richness of it all. A Sudden Case of Christmas could be a 90-minute commercial for Italian tourism. The amazing settings are a constant relief when the story lulls. Scenes of mountain hiking and hot air balloon rides are absolutely gorgeous. You could honestly ignore the dialogue and just watch the majestic scenery with wanderlust. You don’t normally associate Christmas with Italy, but you will after this.
A Sudden Case of Christmas is a production of Notorious Pictures and Riverstone Pictures. It will be available digitally and on demand from Shout! Studios on November 8th. It’s available to rent or buy on digital platforms like Apple TV, YouTube, Fandango at Home, and on Prime Video through the link below:
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