Almost Christmas
Universal Pictures | Release Date: November 11, 2016 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
55
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 27 Critic Reviews
Positive:
12
Mixed:
11
Negative:
4
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
Time OutJoshua RothkopfNov 15, 2016
Mainly, it’s a fun and boisterous countdown to the big meal. Read full review
80
VarietyOwen GleibermanNov 9, 2016
David E. Talbert, the writer-director of Almost Christmas, has assembled a gifted cast and given them a chance to stretch out and play with their roles. He has made a heartwarming gripe-and-grouchfest that pushes a lot of buttons, though with a vivacity that’s exuberantly funny and sincere. Read full review
78
TheWrapAlonso DuraldeNov 9, 2016
If you love Christmas movies for all the reasons that make them Christmas movies, Almost Christmas is a Christmas movie for you. Read full review
75
RogerEbert.comOdie HendersonNov 11, 2016
Aunt May is such a delectable force that the audience waits with baited breath to see if she’ll do what we’d expect from an auntie. And she always does; her consistency is the warmest form of comfort. Read full review
75
IndieWireAramide A TinubuNov 10, 2016
Even as Almost Christmas follows a series of predictable twists, that doesn’t negate its charm. Read full review
70
TimeStephanie ZacharekNov 17, 2016
You’ve seen most of this before, but that’s pretty much the point: The familiarity of the setup means the actors can just knuckle down and do their thing, and their energy keeps the movie rolling at a clip. Read full review
70
The New York TimesGlenn KennyNov 10, 2016
The family comedy-drama Almost Christmas is an often disarmingly entertaining picture, in spite of its being a not particularly well-thought-out cinematic contrivance. Read full review
67
Austin ChronicleMarjorie BaumgartenNov 16, 2016
The five days of togetherness are filled with challenges and enjoyment, and if the cast is willing, I’m sure other Meyers family reunions will follow, although none is likely to be as sweet as this sugar plum. Read full review
67
Entertainment WeeklyDevan CogganNov 10, 2016
In all, it’s a pleasant enough way to spend two quiet hours with the extended family, but Almost Christmas probably won’t be your next holiday tradition. Read full review
63
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Rebecca TuckerNov 10, 2016
Almost Christmas isn’t likely destined for holiday mainstay status, but it’s a comfortably watchable family film, buoyed by a strong cast, and very few saccharine moments. Like Walter’s pie, it might be impossible to digest were it any more sweet. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneKatie WalshNov 10, 2016
For all the over-the-top operatic moments — car wrecks and prom throwbacks and rifles at the dinner table — there's something about the wild tonal shifts and chaos of Almost Christmas that rings true about the holiday season. Read full review
63
Movie NationRoger MooreNov 8, 2016
As holiday movie comfort food, it more than fills the bill. Read full review
60
We Got This CoveredRobert Yaniz Jr.Nov 12, 2016
Almost Christmas doesn't set a new standard for family holiday comedies, but its cast and a handful of outrageously funny moments make it worthwhile for fans of the genre. Read full review
60
Arizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzNov 10, 2016
Even with the revolving door of characters and plot developments, there are some laughs in Almost Christmas. Read full review
58
The A.V. ClubJesse HassengerNov 9, 2016
Whatever its faults, this is a nice movie, a crowdpleaser best experienced with an appreciative audience. Read full review
50
The Film StageJohn FinkNov 12, 2016
The success of the film is in its performances, from Gabrielle Union’s sincere and quick-witted Rachel to Mo’Nique’s spirited performance as Aunt May, a cosmopolitan women who is has lived quite a life. Read full review
50
Wall Street JournalJoe MorgensternNov 10, 2016
The film’s energy can be relentless, but the feelings are real, and they’re wrapped in a dysfunctional-family package that’s so venerable and endearing as to seem a little bit new. Read full review
50
Boston GlobeTom RussoNov 10, 2016
The movie would benefit from spending even more quiet moments with Glover. Read full review
50
The Seattle TimesJohn HartlNov 10, 2016
The script’s weaknesses are difficult to ignore. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleDavid LewisNov 10, 2016
Almost Christmas would have been less clunky if it had focused more on the family’s loss of its matriarch, and allowed the comic elements to naturally arise as the characters struggle with the new family dynamic. Instead, we get too many slapstick set pieces and extraneous subplots that bog down the proceedings. Read full review
50
Slant MagazineKeith WatsonNov 9, 2016
The film is most affecting in its simpler moments, particularly those revolving around food. Read full review
40
New Orleans Times-PicayuneMike ScottNov 11, 2016
For most of its two-hour running time, Almost Christmas is merely almost funny. Read full review
40
Village VoiceMelissa AndersonNov 8, 2016
Writer-director Talbert similarly follows formula for the overcrowded and overplotted Noel-season movie, ladling out too-generous portions of churchiness, multigenerational dance-off, and Mars vs. Venus sermonizing. Read full review
38
Chicago Sun-TimesRichard RoeperNov 9, 2016
What a waste of a wonderful cast. Read full review
37
Washington PostJane HorwitzNov 10, 2016
Is it a good movie? Not particularly. But if you’re a forgiving filmgoer in need of a smile, it’s a reasonable diversion, one that ties up its message of love — if a bit too neatly — into a holiday bow. Read full review
30
New York Daily NewsAriel ScottiNov 9, 2016
Almost Christmas is frustrating in its failure to not surpass what's expected of it. It's shallow in its emotions and misses opportunities to develop more realistic characters with more relatable feelings. Read full review
30
The Hollywood ReporterFrank ScheckNov 9, 2016
Attempting to mix emotional pathos with broad farce, the film fails on both levels. Read full review
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