A Not So Merry Christmas is a Mexican film directed by Mark Alazraki, starring Mauricio Ochmann and Ana Brenda Contreras.
A Mexican version of Groundhog Day (1993), this Netflix production starts well (with a musical number of dance and Christmas carols) and gradually becomes more and more deflated consumed by the inevitable Christmas spirit.
Premise
Chuy has become a bit grumpy and self-centered, having reached midlife, married and father to two. This year he is doomed to relive Christmas day after day in a terrifying space time glitch until he starts appreciating the season.
Movie Review
It has a good premise: a man who hate Christmas that coincidentally falls on the same date as his birthday (hence, everybody forgets HIS special day). May Frank Capra’s everlasting Christmas Spirit forgive me, but it seems that many of us feel like this (even Stephen King), and we relate to the protagonist, and are already fed up with the season, even before the big day arrives. And with a premise similar to Bad Santa, everything is fine, until (and it was predictable) he gives into all the Christmas delights and has a bout of elfish cheeriness.
‘A Not So Merry Christmas’ is not the worst of season movies, far from it, but it is not a movie that is destined to cure our Christmas fatigue. It is a light, relatively charming, and at times it is even bold, always within the parameters of a family friendly Christmas movie. It does make an attempt at modernizing the characters, the situations and settings, while celebrating the inescapable “same ol’, same ol”.
There is nothing outstanding about this movie, but it might be to the liking of some.
Release Date
December 20, 2022
Where to Watch A Not So Merry Christmas
Cast
Manu NNa
Romina Poza
Paola Espinosa
Bastian Calva
Kaled Acab
A Not So Merry Christmas (2022)
Movie title: Reviviendo la Navidad
Movie description: A curse is placed on grinchy Chuy, who wakes up to find he's lived a full year, but is doomed to remember only Christmas Day. Every year. From now on.
Date published: December 18, 2022
Country: Mexico
Director(s): Mark Alazraki
Writer(s): Juan Carlos Garzón, Angélica Gudiño
Actor(s): Mauricio Ochmann, Ana Brenda Contreras, Manu Nna, José Sefami, María Rojo, Kaled Acab
Genre: Comedy
Companies: Netflix
Our Opinion
Another Christmas number. The good news, one less season film to watch this year.
