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Poster for Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas

Family is the gift that keeps on taking.

2014 · 1h 22m · R Comedy, Drama
Directed by Joe Swanberg

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Overview

After a breakup with her boyfriend, a young woman moves in with her older brother, his wife, and their 2-year-old son.

Director and cast

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Top critics, in their words

All reviews
75%
Tomatometer
Fresh

Swanberg's naturalistic, improvised style lets the conflict come about organically, repeatedly putting the characters in situations to which they could react with cliches but instead go with something more empathetic and nuanced.

Keith Staskiewicz, Entertainment Weekly
Fresh

This semi-improvised indie accomplishes its modest goal, which is to explore the way a vexing relationship between in-laws can yield unexpected personal growth and warm bonds of affection.

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Fresh

I suppose it's because his father in this movie is played by his father, but I've never seen a better performance -- or whatever you want to call it -- from a two-year-old.

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor
Rotten

The script doesn't just leave things unsaid but unnoticed, and the film's conclusion isn't much more than a half-hearted well, yeah, whatever.

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger
Fresh

A slightly above average example of a kind of movie - and of a trend within movies - that needs to be encouraged.

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

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