Almost Christmas

Play trailer

2:28

Almost Christmas

PG-13

2016

1h 52m

Holiday

Comedy

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

49%

Tomatometer

68 Reviews

64%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Walter Meyer (Danny Glover) is a retired mechanic who lost the love of his life one year earlier. Now that the holiday season is here, he invites daughters Rachel (Gabrielle Union) and Cheryl (Kimberly Elise) and sons Christian (Romany Malco) and Evan (Jessie T. Usher) to his house for a traditional celebration. Poor Walter soon realizes that if his bickering children and the rest of the family can spend five days together under the same roof, it will truly be a Christmas miracle.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

While far from the worst holiday dramedy audiences could hope for, Almost Christmas isn't distinctive enough to prompt a visit to the theater -- or annual yuletide viewings.

Read Critics Reviews

Aramide Tinubu

Shadow and Act

Apr 12, 2017

B

Almost Christmas follows a series of predictable twists, that doesn't negate its charm.

Go to Full Review

Donald Clarke

Irish Times

Dec 27, 2016

2/5

You can't fault the film for its efficiency. Each of these idylls is threatened by a problem that will be solved within a reasonably tidy running time.

Go to Full Review

Kate Muir

The Times (UK)

Nov 29, 2016

3/5

Aside from the traditional spaghetti set-up of conflicts that will unfurl and be resolved with good cheer around the turkey, David E Talbert's film has a rather moving backstory about the death of the family matriarch the previous year.

Go to Full Review

Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

Sep 1, 2020

3.0/4.0

Almost Christmas isn't a brilliant film, though it's an entertaining and satisfying one.

Go to Full Review

Allen Almachar

The MacGuffin

Jul 11, 2020

C+

When Talbert allows his cast to let loose and have fun, that affection reverberates from the screen. When he decides to dial it back and take things seriously is when we run into trouble.

Go to Full Review

Julian Lytle

Punch Drunk Critics

Jan 11, 2020

2.5/5

You'll get through this movie and laugh a little but really going with the cast that's there you should be laughing way more.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Daisy L

@Flower9 Jan 10, 2026

I couldn't get past the fact that sibling grandchildren called their grandfather different things. The adult children also used both daddy and pops.

See more

Keith B B

@Okbullard Dec 30, 2025

It was okay but so predictable. I always liked Danny Glover since the Lethal Weapon films. Monique was annoying as usual. I'd never bother watching it again.

See more

Jacob B

@RT89309114 Dec 25, 2024

Has some of the standard Christmas corniness and, if I'm being honest, I don't think the ending offered enough of a resolution regarding some of the conflicts, but Almost Christmas's committed cast, good sense of comedic timing (Mo'Nique steals the show and I have to say, it takes a great amount of restraint to have her play a character named Aunt May and manage to avoid making a Spider-Man joke) and decent moments of drama help make it a passable holiday film, even if it isn't particularly interested in trying to break new ground.

See more

Stephanie C

@RT70381691 Dec 11, 2024

Cute, entertaining, and funny, with a solid cast and sweet ending.

See more

Justin K

@RT35839079 Nov 24, 2024

While not perfect it's a cute movie and it does have Christmas spirit. A bit heavy handed at times but when it hits it hits.

See more

Carol H

@GnannyHale Jan 8, 2024

Just what a Christmas movie should have: a long-overdue family gathering of far-flung relatives, holiday meals, music, holiday decorating, hilarity (so funny), sticky situations, romance, and plenty of scenes that will have viewers laughing and crying (mostly happy tears). I love this movie and have watched it every Christmas season for many years.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

David E. Talbert

Director

Danny Glover

Walter

Gabrielle Union

Rachel

Mo'Nique

Aunt May

Kimberly Elise

Cheryl

Romany Malco

Christian

Almost Christmas: Official Clip - He Killed Santa

2:36

Now Playing

View more videos

Love the Coopers

19%

37%

Love the Coopers

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Love the Coopers

This Christmas

56%

81%

This Christmas

Watchlist

Nothing Like the Holidays

53%

42%

Nothing Like the Holidays

Watchlist

Christmas Eve in Miller's Point

80%

27%

Christmas Eve in Miller's Point

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Christmas Eve in Miller's Point

The Book of Love

8%

64%

The Book of Love

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Book of Love

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Almost Christmas: Trailer 2

2:28

Now Playing

Almost Christmas: Trailer 1

1:29

Now Playing

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Walter Meyer (Danny Glover) is a retired mechanic who lost the love of his life one year earlier. Now that the holiday season is here, he invites daughters Rachel (Gabrielle Union) and Cheryl (Kimberly Elise) and sons Christian (Romany Malco) and Evan (Jessie T. Usher) to his house for a traditional celebration. Poor Walter soon realizes that if his bickering children and the rest of the family can spend five days together under the same roof, it will truly be a Christmas miracle.

Director: David E. Talbert
Producer: Will Packer
Screenwriter: David E. Talbert
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Universal Pictures, Perfect World Pictures, Will Packer Productions
Rating: PG-13 (Language|Drug Content|Suggestive Material)
Genre: Holiday, Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 11, 2016, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 24, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $42.0M
Runtime: 1h 52m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings