Nativity!: reviews

What the critics say average 5.3 from 24 outlets

• 8.8 The Independent CriticRichard Propes Nativity! is funny without resorting to cheap laughs, geared towards children without talking down to them and filled with heartfelt, positive and inspiring values without ever becoming preachy or over-the-top. In other words, it clearly wasn't made in Hollywood. Read
• 8.0 Movie MetropolisJames Plath A warm, funny and irreverent Christmas movie that ought to become a holiday classic alongside films like Elf and A Christmas Story. Read
• 8.0 Den of GeekRupert de Paula Freeman and Wootton generate a great rapport, establishing a perfect straight man, funny man double act, with Wootton’s goofball performance a scene-stealer (think Will Ferrell in Elf). But the real stars of Nativity are the children themselves. Read
• 8.0 Eye for FilmMartin Gray For one thing, Martin Freeman is such a great actor that no matter how outlandish the film's events, it's grounded. (...) the kids are so delightfully charming and natural that you're always looking forward to their next appearance. Read
• 8.0 RTÉLinda McGee It's the right amount of sweet, funny and festive. Martin Freeman and Marc Wootton are brilliant opposite each other, playing grumpy Scrooge and over-grown elf to perfection. Read
• 6.0 The TelegraphTim Robey But it improves, big-time, partly because Freeman and Jensen play the pathos so well, and partly because the actual show is a genuine delight (...) For all that's wrong with Nativity!, there's something apt and endearing about how this sketchy, second-rate production pulls its socks up for the climax. Read
• 6.0 EmpireAngie Errigo The gamble pays off, with the kids all natural, terrific and cutely stealing the show. It won’t be just proud parents shedding a tear when the junior ensemble don their angel costumes and strut their stuff. Read
• 6.0 Digital SpySimon Reynolds Ultimately, though, Nativity! is a light and painless watch that overcomes its flaws with some strong central performances and a genuine warmth that lifts it above the cynicism of many other festive cash-grabbers. Read
• 6.0 Sky CinemaTim Evans Entirely improvised (Isitt whittled down 240 hours of footage) and employing dozens of children who have never acted before, this enchants by virtue of its sparkling spontaneity, the very antithesis of Hollywood method. (...) it’s the pure, device-free performances of the talented cast of children that makes this a winner Read
• 6.0 News of the WorldRobbie Collin Despite being a bit overlong at 105 minutes, Nativity! is sweet and it gets what makes children laugh. Plus there are some fantastic performances from the kids. Read
• 6.0 Screen DailyFionnuala Halligan Much the same goes for British Christmas hopeful Nativity!, an endearingly predictable festive heartwarmer in which a class of adorable if disadvantaged state school children help their “loser” teacher put on a showstopper and get the girl back. Read
• 6.0 The Sunday TimesEdward Porter A plucky, well-meant enterprise reliant on its audience's festive goodwill.
• 6.0 The SunAlex Zane Neither Jensen nor Freeman light up the film - that is left to the gap-toothed, wide-eyed, body-popping and very funny kids.
• 5.0 Shadows on the WallRich Cline Clumsily constructed and not very funny, this scruffy British Christmas comedy almost redeems itself with a riotously over-the-top final act that's genuinely entertaining. Shame about everything that came before that. Read
• 4.0 The GuardianAndrew Pulver So much so that Nativity! ends up a pretty shambolic effort, despite its undeniable good-heartedness (...) Freeman gives it his all, however, and comes out looking pretty good Read
• 4.0 The ObserverJason Solomons Another British comedy limps into cinemas having inexplicably wrestled its way out of a television script meeting. Martin Freeman deserves an endurance medal for helping this over the finish line Read
• 4.0 Total FilmKevin Harley Unfortunately, likeable lead turns from Freeman and Marc Wootton can’t fix the plot holes. The half-baked twists presume on our goodwill, which snaps when the closing production piece outstays its welcome. Read
• 4.0 Daily ExpressAllan Hunter On a snowy Boxing Day afternoon tucked up at home bursting with mince pies and bonhomie you might tolerate Nativity on the TV. In the glaring spotlight of the big screen it’s a Christmas turkey. Read
• 4.0 Financial TimesNigel Andrews (...) an overzealous, sentimental kidcom with Martin Freeman putting on a Christmas school musical, despite warnings of advancing schmaltz and a heavy Webber system moving in on the score and lyrics. Read
• 4.0 What's on TVJason Best No prizes for guessing the outcome – given that every plot or character development in the film is easily anticipated from start to finish. Indeed, Nativity! is so entirely predictable that it comes as a surprise to learn that the script was largely improvised Read
• 4.0 The TimesWendy Ide Even with an engaging cast of primary school kids practically mugging the camera at every opportunity, this is toe-curling and predictable stuff.
• 2.0 The IndependentRobert Hanks Even in outline, the plot wouldn't pass muster as an episode of a CBBC drama, but its various twists and turns and grotesque emotional idiocies are engineered through some of the most wooden dialogue I've ever heard. Read
• 2.0 The Independent on SundayNicholas Barber Nativity! might have been improvised by the actors, but should it really be quite so obvious that they were making it up as they went along? Isitt's attitude seems to be that a coherent story and some half-decent jokes are surplus to requirements when you can point a camera at some perky children singing and dancing. Read
• 2.0 Time OutDavid Jenkins Here is a list of things that sprang to mind while watching Debbie Isitt’s festive putting-on-a-show ordeal (...) CBeebies if Ronnie Corbett was artistic director; filmmaking by committee, if that committee were made up of the esteemed members of Coventry City Council and chaired by Lenny Henry; (...) films for people who don’t like films; community theatre with delusions of grandeur Read