a boy called christmas movie review

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“A Boy Called Christmas” is a resplendent Santa Claus origin story with a star-filled cast, sumptuous visuals, and some melancholy details to keep it from being too sugary.  

Dame Maggie Smith plays the vinegary Aunt Ruth, a last-minute babysitter for three children who are still in mourning for their mother. It is Christmas Eve, but their father Matt ( Joel Fry ), sad and distracted, has decided they will skip the holiday this year. There will be no decorations or presents. After he leaves for a work emergency, Aunt Ruth begins to tell the children a story about a boy named Nikolas ( Henry Lawfull ), who lived a long time ago in a remote mountain cabin in Finland with his father, a woodcutter named Joel ( Michiel Huisman ). Nikolas, too, is in mourning for his late mother, who was killed by a bear, and each night he asks his father to tell him the story she used to tell, about a little girl who got lost in the woods one winter and happened upon a community of elves who loved and protected her until the spring thaw made it possible to go home, “her pockets full of chocolates.”

Nikolas has just one toy, a doll his mother made him from a turnip. And he has one friend, a mouse he names Miika and tries to teach how to talk. 

The king ( Jim Broadbent ) calls in his most loyal subjects, including Joel, to give them a challenge. He wants to bring hope back to his people, and he wants each of them to go off on a quest to find it. Joel joins a group to try to find the elves, just in case it's not a fairy tale. Like Matt, he leaves an aunt in charge. But Aunt Charlotte (look past the bad teeth and you will recognize Kristen Wiig ) is not one to tell a cozy bedtime story. She’s not even one to provide food or let Nikolas sleep inside the cabin. She is selfish and mean. When Nikolas discovers a clue to the location of Elfhelm, he and Miika (wittily voiced by Stephen Merchant ) go off in search of his father to help him find it. 

Their search turns into a magical adventure through snowy mountains, with challenges both natural and fantastic. Nikolas helps a reindeer and names him after Lake Blitzen. He also has a scary encounter with a troll and a less scary one with a winged pixie who can only tell the truth and likes to set off colorful little explosives. That is the origin of the British custom of Christmas crackers that make a little pop when you pull the tab and then they open up to reveal paper hats and ridiculously silly jokes. 

Elfhelm, as led by a tyrannical Mother Vodal ( Sally Hawkins ), is troubled. It's no longer the merry, generous place it once was because strangers they welcomed betrayed them. Nikolas will learn some painful and difficult lessons as we see the origins of many Christmas customs, but he always responds to challenges with kindness and integrity.   

The lushness of the Dario Marianelli score and the visual scope and detail from production designer Gary Williamson  give "A Boy Called Christmas" a genuine sense of enchantment. The film also has delicate animation that illustrates Joel’s bedtime story about Elfhelm and the gentle transitions from Aunt Ruth and the children to Nikolas’ adventures. There are a few sly references to familiar issues with a group called The Resistance to challenge Mother Vodal’s panicked despotism. And there’s the king’s rhetorical question to his subjects about what would give them a better life. They make a few tentative suggestions like "health care" and "a living wage," but he insists that the answer is a quest for “hope,” even one where “most of you will die.” 

Lawfull brings sweetness and conviction to his interactions with various CGI creatures, but he's at his best with Zoe Margaret Colletti, who has appealing sparkle as the mischievous Truth Pixie. There are some sad moments, including a redemptive sacrifice, consistent with the fairy tale traditions of real stakes that make the moments of joy meaningful. Children will enjoy spotting the origins of many Christmas traditions, but what will stay with them is the message of kindness, courage, and as Aunt Ruth explains, the stories that hold the universe together.  

Now playing on Netflix.

Nell Minow is the Contributing Editor at RogerEbert.com.

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Film Credits

A Boy Called Christmas (2021)

Rated PG for peril, action and thematic elements.

106 minutes

Henry Lawfull as Nikolas

Kristen Wiig as Aunt Carlotta

Michiel Huisman as Joel

Maggie Smith as Aunt Carlotta

Sally Hawkins as Mother Something

Jim Broadbent as Father Vodol

Toby Jones as Father Topo

Rune Temte as Anders

Zoe Colletti as The Truth Pixie

Indica Watson as Little Noosh

Stephen Merchant as Miika (voice)

Rishi Kuppa as Little Kip

Writer (based on the book by)

Cinematographer.

• Zac Nicholson
• Peter Lambert
• Richard Ketteridge
• Dario Marianelli

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Critic’s Pick

‘A Boy Called Christmas’ Review: Kindling the Holiday Spirit

Enchanting imagery elevates this Netflix holiday adventure about a boy who journeys to a magic elfin city.

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By Natalia Winkelman

Magic abounds in “A Boy Called Christmas,” Netflix’s first prestige holiday movie of the season, but pulsing through this winning adventure tale is something even stronger: the immersive power of storytelling. The movie, at points, recalls the first few “Harry Potter” films — and not just because Maggie Smith, Jim Broadbent and Toby Jones play charming eccentrics.

Framed by the brusque Aunt Ruth (Smith) telling her grand niece and nephews a story on Christmas Eve, the movie follows Nikolas (Henry Lawfull), a poor but altruistic boy in medieval Finland, who journeys northward to find a mythic city called Elfhelm. Friendly allies accumulate along the way — including the wisecracking mouse Miika (voiced by Stephen Merchant), a chipper pixie (Zoe Margaret Colletti) and an ebullient elf (Jones) — while snide villainesses (Sally Hawkins and Kristen Wiig) test the limits of Nikolas’s giving spirit.

At points, the prodigious cast of characters and their quips feel eye-rollingly familiar. (When a partying elf declares, “this is the resistance,” Miika snorts, “to what, sanity?”) But any weak spots are overshadowed by the movie’s joys — particularly its handsome imagery. As Nikolas’s father describes Elfhelm, his tale comes alive in enchanting shadow silhouettes around their cabin. Similarly, whenever the movie pivots between Nikolas’s snowy terrain and Aunt Ruth’s cozy bedroom setting, the director, Gil Kenan, does not cut; he effects a seamless camera pan.

It’s an elegant visual decision, highlighting how the best stories — for children and adults alike — are experienced as real, tangible. Whether or not you believe in magic, “A Boy Called Christmas” may be the rare Netflix fare that kindles the holiday spirit.

A Boy Called Christmas Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour 46 minutes. Watch on Netflix.

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Stream It or Skip It: ‘A Boy Called Christmas’ on Netflix, Where Maggie Smith Tells a New Version of Santa’s Origin

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• A Boy Called Christmas

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Saint Nicholas gets a new origin in A Boy Called Christmas on Netflix. This time around, the kid who would be Santa Claus embarks on a surprisingly dark fairytale quest and encounters a who’s who of character actors in elaborate fantasy costumes. Is this an origin story worth the retcon, or should you just stick with the Rankin/Bass canon? 

A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: A Boy Called Christmas is presented exactly how every single movie should be presented: as a bedtime story told by Maggie Smith. This is an old timey tale about a young boy named Nikolas (Henry Lawfull) who lives in the woods with his father Joel (Michiel Huisman) in long-ago Finland. At Nikolas’s request, Joel frequently retells a story about a young girl named Lumi and her journey to a magical land called Elfhelm. This idyllic life (well, that’s what Nikolas thinks it is; Joel knows better) is interrupted when the king (Jim Broadbent) orders the hardiest villagers to travel beyond the borders of their kingdom to bring back something that inspires hope. Whoever does so gets a reward—and Joel knows his family of two needs the dough!

Joel sets out on a mission to find this vague idea of hope, leaving Nikolas in the “care” of his truly terrible aunt Caroltta (Kristen Wiig). But when days turn into weeks and there’s still no sign of his father, Nikolas decides to set out and find him and Elfhelm. The kid brings his trusty pet field mouse Miika along and begins his epic quest.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: The structure is right out of The Princess Bride and the subject matter is in line with Netflix’s animated Santa origin movie Klaus . Really, the film has way more in common with a few classic, young adult fantasy films created to both delight and disturb kids: The Witches and The NeverEnding Story . Or maybe it’ll remind you of Santa Claus: The Movie , which is both a Santa origin and a creepy 1980s kids movie.

Performance Worth Watching: It bodes well that I can’t narrow this down to just one performer. Jim Broadbent’s king has a small part, but he’s responsible for some of the biggest laughs in the movie. And Kristen Wiig and Sally Hawkins are clearly having a blast playing over-the-top villains. But I’m gonna give this to Stephen Merchant’s turn as the voice of Miika the mouse. He succeeds in making Miika both condescending and naive. It’s an all around smart and charming performance for a mouse who learns to speak one word at a time.

Memorable Dialogue: Imagine Dame Maggie Smith saying this: “It’s always the way. The darkest night will end. The sun will rise, and Christmas mornings will come again, when anything and everything can happen.” Chills, right?

A Holiday Tradition: The elves at Elfhelm celebrate Christmas, which is what members of the Resistance (yep, there’s an elf resistance!) call their hope-filled shindigs.

Does the Title Make Any Sense? : Seeing as how the film is about a boy who’s nicknamed Christmas and inadvertently learns why on his quest, yes.

Our Take: A Boy Called Christmas is one of those kinds of movies. It’s the kind of movie that you watch as a kid and then years later think, “Wait—did I really watch a horse drown in a muddy swamp because the horse couldn’t defeat sadness?” I’m fully an adult, one who grew up on The NeverEnding Story , and A Boy Called Christmas has me thinking right now, “Wait—did I really watch Kristen Wiig do that to a turnip?” This is a Christmas movie for kids that’s not afraid to be as cold and dark as December often is.

But the film has plenty of warmth and light to it too, and the balance it ultimately finds between the two feels satisfying. It helps that everyone involved in A Boy Called Christmas approached their role, from production design to performance, with equal gusto. There’s a lot of heart in this— strange heart, but heart.

And all of it works, all of the film’s dark leanings work, because Henry Lawfull plays Nikolas/Christmas with such wide-eyed wonder and earnestness. This is a hard kind of character to play, because they can easily be come across as one-dimensional and, worse, unbelievably gullible. Lawfull pays Nikolas as gullible at times, but he always plays the kid with an underlying pragmatism and determination.

The story, based on the 2016 children’s novel of the same name by Matt Haig, is a familiar one (a Santa origin) done in a familiar way (a good old hero’s quest)—but that’s not a critique. I think A Boy Called Christmas has so much originality to it, from the look to the core of its Christmas mythology, that it makes this dependable story structure feel unpredictable. You know the boy called Christmas whose name is Nikolas is gonna end up as Santa Claus, but you’re not sure how or even which of his allies will live to see him slide down his first chimney. And while adults have seen dozens of films tackle the age old Santa questions in a variety of ways, A Boy Called Christmas will give a whole bunch of kids their own answers this holiday season—and I think they’ll like going on this adventure into Santa’s history as much as parents liked Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town , Santa Claus: The Movie , or The Santa Clause .

That is, as long as the kids can handle what Kristen Wiig does to that turnip.

Our Call: STREAM IT. A Boy Called Christmas is an entertaining and imaginative journey for kids who don’t mind a little darkness in their fairytales.

Will you stream or skip the new Saint Nicholas origin #ABoyCalledChristmas on @netflix ? #SIOSI — Decider (@decider) November 24, 2021

Stream A Boy Called Christmas on Netflix

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A Boy Called Christmas review – charming quest gets its Claus in all the family

Adventure, elves and home truths mingle in this big-hearted movie based on a Matt Haig children’s book

Y ou’d need to have the humbuggiest of hearts not to be charmed, even just a little bit, by this family Christmas movie – lavishly adapted, no expense spared, from a kids’ novel by Matt Haig . It begins in modern-day London, with Maggie Smith as the Mary Poppins-ish great-aunt to a trio of siblings. Their mum has recently died, so no one is feeling festive when Aunt Ruth begins telling them a bedtime story on Christmas Eve.

Her fairytale is a Santa Claus origins myth, about a boy called Nikolas (played by delightfully urchin-faced newcomer Henry Lawfull). He lives in a forest in Finland with his poor woodcutter dad (Michiel Huisman). They are so poor that when the dotty king (played by Jim Broadbent with endearing spoiled-child petulance) offers a reward to anyone who can bring hope to the land, Nikolas’s dad goes off in search of Elfhelm, the fabled kingdom of elves.

Enter Kristen Wiig, giving it the full Mrs Twit treatment as child-hating ’orrible Aunt Carlotta, who arrives to look after Nikolas. The unspeakable thing she does to his only toy – a doll carved out of an old turnip – is a genius stroke of kids’ writing. So young Nikolas runs away to find his dad, taking with him his talking pet mouse (voiced by Stephen Merchant). On his adventure, he acquires some dead giveaways as to his future career: a red hat with a white bobble, and a reindeer friend called Blitzen. When he finally catches up with his dad, there are some honest unglossed truths about how parents disappoint their kids – and the film has semi-unsentimental things to say about grief too.

Still, above all this is A Christmas Movie, made for audiences from four to 94, little ones watching with nan on Boxing Day in front of the telly, everyone a bit drowsy on Quality Street. Maybe because of that, it feels kid-gloves at times: big-hearted and entertaining, but possibly lacking a little fun or oomph. A lovely warming film, though.

• Family films
• Film adaptations
• Maggie Smith
• Jim Broadbent
• Stephen Merchant

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A Boy Called Christmas Reviews

A Boy Called Christmas was a surprising hit for me, and I urge you and your families to put this film at the top of your must-watch list.

Full Review | Original Score: 8.5/10 | Jan 16, 2023

It's a film that leaves you yearning to delve into the riches of its unknown worlds, but lacks the propulsion to actually get the audience there.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Dec 16, 2021

This is a big-hearted movie about kindness, which, as Nikolas reminds his dad, costs nothing but is worth so much.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Dec 11, 2021

The concept strikes me as presumptuous and laboured, but the book is popular and Gil Kenan's film adapts it smoothly in snow-dusted fairytale style.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 8, 2021

If you are looking for some Christmas magic this season it's a great pick

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Dec 7, 2021

With this year's holiday season just beginning, A Boy Called Christmas is a wonderful way to get begin the festivities.

Full Review | Original Score: 9/10 | Dec 4, 2021

The blend of live action and fantastical sets is reminiscent of a Tim Burton fantasy with the director on his A-game.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Dec 2, 2021

An ideal Christmas movie to watch as a family, this festive treat really will appeal to all generations.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 1, 2021

It's light, playful, and knowingly anachronistic without being obnoxious.

Full Review | Dec 1, 2021

A stellar technical achievement from these talented craftsmen, even if it doesn't fully work for me as a film overall.

Full Review | Nov 29, 2021

A Boy Called Christmas is an entertaining and imaginative journey for kids who don't mind a little darkness in their fairytales.

Kenan has done a better job here of mining the comforts of childhood nostalgia than he did on the recent Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which he co-wrote.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 28, 2021

While trying to be a mixture of Narnia and Hook, this film is far too confused, and nowhere near magical or cosy enough to make it a Christmas miracle movie.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 26, 2021

You can probably guess where we're heading but this festive adventure takes some unexpected detours.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 26, 2021

It will embrace the whole family in a warm cinematic hug.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 26, 2021

A Boy Called Christmas is by-the-numbers Yuletide storytelling buoyed by a strong Brit cast, inventive filmmaking and a heart in the right place.

It is warm, entertaining and unpretentious. Only a true Scrooge could resist.

Flimsily conceived, without ideas to cause an audience to lean in in wonder, and too many characters less liable to charm than grate.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 25, 2021

In a winter of dull holiday romances and seriously unimaginative seasonal slop, this one tickles and delights

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Nov 25, 2021

It's sweet and warm. It feels like Christmas and hot cocoa.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Nov 25, 2021

‘A Boy Called Christmas’ Review: There Are Worse Ways to Get in the Holiday Spirit Than This Netflix Charmer

Based on the novel of the same name, the film makes good use of its impressive ensemble cast.

By Michael Nordine

Michael Nordine

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If you’re immune to the charms of a small child admitting that he’s heartbroken over the loss of his mother but “still loves her with all the broken pieces,” then suffice to say that “ A Boy Called Christmas ” probably isn’t for you. For those who don’t mind a bit of saccharinity in their holiday viewing, however, Netflix’s tall tale about the origins of Christmas will make for better background viewing than a yule-log loop. Directed by Gil Kenan (“City of Ember”) and based on Matt Haig’s novel of the same name, “Christmas” is a cut above the usual holiday dross.

Said cherub, along with his two older siblings, is in the care of his great aunt ( Maggie Smith ) for the evening, their father having been called into the office on Christmas Eve. After insisting that “the universe is made of stories, not atoms,” the wise elder treats her wards to the tale of a Finnish boy named Nikolas (Henry Lawfull) who lived long ago and may or may not be responsible for the holiday they’ll wake up to in the morning. Smith, who at this point is constitutionally incapable of being anything less than delightful, occasionally has her story-within-the-movie interrupted by her niece and two nephews so they can ensure that their bedtime story won’t compound their grief — a reminder that the holidays aren’t so merry for some, as well as an excuse for the film to underscore its message of seasonal hopefulness.

Cuteness abounds, from a talking mouse named Miika to a “truth pixie” who can’t lie, as do talented actors in small roles — Jim Broadbent , Sally Hawkins, Kristen Wiig and Toby Jones, among others. The banter is, somewhat surprisingly, up to this ensemble’s level, as when the king (Broadbent) rhetorically asks his subjects what their land is missing, only for them to answer, “Monty Python”-style, healthcare, a living wage and fair governance. (Another good one: “Finland was a very dangerous place in those days,” Smith explains after revealing that Nikolas’ mother met her end courtesy of a bear.)

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The film is less convincing when it gets into inspirational mode, with far too many lines of dialogue extolling the power of believing in something in order to see it, though one supposes that kind of sentimentality comes with the territory. What most needs to be believed in order to be seen here is Elfhelm, the mythical land of (you guessed it) elves, which Nikolas sets off to find after his father (Michael Huisman) does likewise and doesn’t return. It exists, of course, but is in disarray when our young hero arrives. The Resistance (led by Jones) wants to continue celebrating Christmas, while the once-festive village’s newly elected leader, Mother Vodal (Hawkins), has canceled it along with all forms of merriment in response to the recent kidnapping of an elf child.

You can surely guess what happens from there — though you may be surprised at how little effort was put into making the elves look different from their human counterparts — but the film isn’t as marred by its predictability as you might expect. That’s thanks largely to its genuine sweetness and the strength of its screenplay, which Kenan co-wrote with Ol Parker. Movies of this sort are pumped out like so many toys in Santa’s workshop each year, most of which will be forgotten by the following year. “A Boy Called Christmas” is a welcome exception to that rule, if a minor one .

Reviewed online, Nov. 23, 2021. MPAA Rating: PG. Running time: 107 MIN.

• Production: (U.K.-France) A Netflix release, presented with StudioCanal, of a Blueprint Pictures production, with the participation of Canal Plus, Ciné Plus. Producers: Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin. Executive producers: Ron Halpern, Didier Lupfer, Dan MacRae, Joe Naftalin, Diarmuid McKeown, Ben Knight, Ol Parker, Matt Haig.
• Crew: Director: Gil Kenan. Screenplay: Gil Kenan, Ol Parker. Camera: Zac Nicholson. Editors: Peter Lambert, Richard Ketteridge. Music: Dario Marianelli.
• With: Henry Lawfull, Maggie Smith, Jim Broadbent, Toby Jones, Sally Hawkins, Kristen Wiig, Michiel Huisman, Zoe Colletti, Stephen Merchant, Joel Fry, Rune Temte.

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A Boy Called Christmas Review

26 Nov 2021

A Boy Called Christmas

Based on Matt Haig’s bestselling book, A Boy Called Christmas is a Santa Claus origin story packed so full of seasonal signifiers and upbeat messaging it makes the John Lewis ad feel positively humbug. But, happily, director Gil Kenan ( Monster House , City Of Ember , co-screenwriter of Ghostbusters: Afterlife ) has a feel for youth-oriented adventures that feel both handmade and spirited without laying on the sentiment too thick. You’ve seen this kind of thing a million times before, but this is an enjoyable version of it.

Of course, it starts with a modern-day opening gambit. Three siblings — they’ve just lost their mother — are left in the care of their pithy Aunt Ruth ( Maggie Smith — imagine a cynical take on Hook ’s Granny Wendy), as their dad ( Joel Fry ) is called into work on Christmas Eve. Pointedly announcing, “The universe is made of stories, not atoms,” Ruth spins a tale about a young boy, the similarly bereaved Nikolas (Henry Lawfull, winning), who lives in a remote cabin in Finland with his woodcutter father Joel ( Michiel Huisman ) — his only toy is a doll carved from a turnip left by his late mother (Hasbro won’t be bricking it). The King ( Jim Broadbent ) announces a competition to bring joy back to the land, so Joel joins a mission to find a fabled city of elves (no, not Stockport). When Joel goes AWOL, Nikolas sets off in hot pursuit, joined by a stubborn reindeer the kid names Blitzen and smart-alec mouse Miika (a fun Stephen Merchant ).

It’s familiar stuff — a wicked aunt, scary encounters with bears and trolls, a tyrannical despot, flying-through-the-air antics, lots of life lessons — but the screenplay by Kenan and Ol Parker has sincerity and sweetness, played by a strong cast (as well as the above, there’s Kristen Wiig , Sally Hawkins and Toby Jones ). Kenan directs with élan, his nifty animated scene-transitions seamlessly linking Aunt Ruth’s yarn-spinning with Nikolas’ adventures. The dialogue is strewn with Haig-esque inspirational aphorisms (“To see something, you have to believe in it”), but hints of melancholy keep the sugar at pre-diabetic levels. The result is a predictable but easy-to-like seasonal escapade — if it goes gangbusters, expect ‘A Girl Called Bank Holiday Monday’ next August.

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A Boy Called Christmas

• Action/Adventure , Comedy , Drama , Kids , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

• Henry Lawfull as Nikolas; Maggie Smith as Aunt Ruth; Jim Broadbent as the King; Zoe Colletti as The Truth Pixie Sally Hawkins as Vodal; Michiel Huisman as Joel; Toby Jones as Father Topo; Rune Temte as Anders; Indica Watson as Little Noosh; Kristen Wiig as Aunt Carlotta; Stephen Merchant as Miika the Mouse (voice); Rishi Kuppa as Little Kip

Home Release Date

• November 26, 2021

Distributor

Movie review.

Finland’s not fine. Not fine at all.

Back in the days before electricity or hot water or motor cars, This version of Finland is mainly known for its trees and bears and snow. Lots and lots of snow. And for those who live there, every cold, bear-filled day can feel a bit miserable. (I’d say un bear able, but, y’know, there are lots of bears, so that wouldn’t make a lot of sense.)

Why, even the king feels a bit out of sorts. And so he gathers all of Finland’s bravest and hardiest soles to go “to the very edges of our kingdom. Go beyond and give us something—anything—to give us hope again.”

Well, most of the peasants gathered have no idea where to find hope. But Nikolas and his father, they just might have a clue.

See, Nikolas’s mother would tell her little boy a story, every night, of a place called Elfhelm—the happiest, most hopeful place on earth. It’s filled with elves (as you might have gathered), and it’s located way up north—past the forests, past the snowfields, past the Pointy Mountain guarded by sleeping giants. But if you can get there, she said, you can find hope. Also, chocolates.

Well, Nikolas’s mother is no longer with him, but the story surely is. Nikolas’s father remembers it well, too. And soon Dad and a band of rough-hewn Finlanders decide to go in search of it. For the king promised a great reward.

“But isn’t the reward bringing us new hope and wonder?” Nikolas asks his father as father packs his things.

“The reward is the money ,” his father says. “And money means food and warm clothes, so you can have a life.” And he gives his son his own red hat—a hat his wife made for him—for safekeeping.

And so the men depart, leaving Nikolas in the care of his nasty Aunt Carlotta.

But one day, after Carlotta cooks Nikolas’s turnip doll for dinner—Nikolas’s only toy, and one made by his mother no less—the boy makes a curious discovery. Hidden inside the red hat his dad left, he finds an embroidered map. A map to Elfhelm.

Carlotta’s a terrible person. And Nikolas’s dad has been gone far too long. So Nikolas decides to brave Finland’s cold north with his pet mouse Miika and search for Elfhelm, his father, and a little hope for himself.

Will he be home for Christmas? If you asked Nikolas this directly, he’d look at you without understanding. See, his mother called him Christmas, but he has no idea what it means. No idea at all.

Positive Elements

On one level, A Boy Called Christmas is all about the three virtues that Paul writes about in 1 Corinthians 13:13: faith, hope and love.

We’re told that Nikolas’s mother believed in Elfhelm. “And for her, believing was as good as knowing,” Nikolas’s father says. Nikolas also has a strong sense of belief. When his mouse (who develops the ability to talk) asks him about whether cheese is a real thing, Nikolas admits that he’s never seen cheese. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t believe in it,” he adds.

That sense of faith—believing in something brighter and better, even if you can’t see it—is integral to the show’s prime virtue of hope. That is, after all, what Nikolas and his father are looking for. But turns out, they need not go to Elfhelm to find it. “I asked for something new,” the king marvels. “You brought me something we forgot we already had.”

And what gives the people hope in this movie? Love and charity. Christmas, we’re told, is “not about the presents—although they are wonderful. It’s about what’s behind them. We give what we have to show that we care.”

We see characters brave a great deal and sacrifice for each other, too. We hear how valuable the truth is, even if it’s sometimes inconvenient. (“The only thing in life that is simple and clear is the truth, but it can be painful,” we’re told.) Nikolas and his father clearly love each other. And all that’s wonderful. But …

Spiritual Elements

… Have you noticed that we’ve not mentioned Christ once for this Christmas movie?

We’re told that Finland had no clue what Christmas even was back in Nikolas’s day. When Nikolas asks his father why his mother called him Christmas, Pops tells him, “It’s just a word. It doesn’t have to mean anything.”

The citizens of Elfhelm are aware of a day called Christmas. “Christmas is the greatest day of all because Christmas is the kindest day of all,” one says. But watching A Boy Called Christmas , someone not schooled on the day’s real origins might imagine that it was a creation of the elves.

And there’s more. Nikolas’s story is being told to a trio of still-grieving children via a Princess Bride -like conceit. The children of the “real” world know plenty about how Christmas is supposed to look and feel, what with its trees and gingerbread houses and jolly old elves. But they assume that this story—of Nikolas and Elfhelm—is Christmas’s origin story. And when the eldest child asks, “Is that how really Christmas properly began?”, the storyteller (Aunt Ruth) says, “It must be, because I never lie.”

We hear about, and see, a great deal of magic. One elf casts a “drimwick” spell on Nikolas, which he characterizes as a “little hope spell.” That spell infuses much of the magic that follows. Other characters conjure more disturbing spells, including shooting lightning out of staves and levitating someone. We also meet a “truth pixie” and a rather nasty troll.

Sexual Content

Miika, the mouse, flirts with a gingerbread queen—licking her inanimate face. And when he meets an elvish cheesemaker, he asks if he might marry her.

Violent Content

The Truth Pixie is meant to be impishly whimsical. But in truth (which she’d appreciate), she appears to be something of a serial killer. Her greatest joy is feeding people a certain sort of leaf that causes their heads to explode. (She feeds her last leaf to an unfortunate troll. And while we don’t see his head explode, we do see a suggestive poof of soot and air shoot from a chimney where the unfortunate troll was.) She also loves explosives. And while her colorful firecrackers don’t cause any physical harm, they do some significant property damage.

A bear chases Nikolas and his dad until he’s scared away by a hunter. A reindeer stag charges Nikolas, but mainly because he’s enraged by the arrow sticking out of his rump. Nikolas is nearly eaten by a troll. (Someone encourages the troll to “pop” him and then “squeeze out all the juicy bits.”) Miika is sent flying occasionally and nearly gets cut in half by an ax. Someone falls to their death. Another someone apparently freezes to death before being resuscitated/resurrected. Soldiers brandish pointy weapons. Characters go on quests that are considered dangerous and deadly. Nikolas and the children being told Nikolas’s story all lost their mothers. (We learn that Nikolas’s mom likely was killed by a bear.)

Crude or Profane Language

None, but we do hear the word “blinking” stand in for what could’ve been a harsher profanity. A few names are called.

Drug and Alcohol Content

Other negative elements.

Nikolas’s Aunt Carlotta is not very nice. As soon as Nikolas’s dad is out of sight, she throws Nikolas out of the cabin they’re supposed to share, eats his food and forces him to do most of the chores around the house. The last straw is when she cooks Nikolas’s beloved turnip doll.

When the king asks, rhetorically, what the people need, one calls out, “A health care system.” Another says, “a living wage.” Depending on one’s politics, these could be taken as rather low political commentary. One also might detect a message on immigration, too—which, again might rub some adults the wrong way (even though most kids wouldn’t notice it at all).

[ Spoiler Warning ] A bunch of men kidnap an elf as a way to bring back “hope,” or at least proof that a hopeful place exists. The name “Nikolas” in elvish apparently means something akin to smelly sausages.

You can pull a lot of good stuff out of A Boy Called Christmas —even good biblical stuff. As I watched Nikolas embark on this perilous quest for “hope,” I thought about another passage that Paul wrote, this one in Romans 5:3-5:

 … but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame …

But those three little dots ultimately tell the story of this story, right? Because any connection that the movie has with the Bible ends with the elipses. Left out is the rest of verse 5: because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

A Boy Called Christmas posits that love and charity and hope are good, important and praiseworthy things. But it tells us that such things come from Elfhelm or us. It misses the fact that they all pour forth from God. And while that’s not an unusual omission for secular movies to make, it’s really disappointing in what is presented as a Christmas origin story . If the elves of Elfhelm were inspired by the birth of Christ, they fail to say so. And that’s deeply disappointing.

One could argue that many accoutrements of Christmas were taken from older, pagan celebrations, from the tree to the time of year. Christianity has always been deft at taking elements of the predominant culture and turning them around to face a brighter truth—the real faith, hope and love we have in Jesus .

A Boy Called Christmas takes a religious celebration and turns it—at least on its face—wholly secular. And while families can find plenty of worthwhile messages in this star-studded package (including Oscar winners Maggie Smith, Sally Hawkins and Jim Broadbent), they should also reserve plenty of time to talk to their children about the film’s failings, too—and that there’s a reason the word Christmas begins with the name Christ .

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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A Boy Called Christmas (2021)

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Movie Review – A Boy Called Christmas (2021)

November 25, 2021 by Tom Beasley

A Boy Called Christmas , 2021.

Directed by Gil Kenan. Starring Henry Lawfull, Stephen Merchant, Maggie Smith, Zoe Colletti, Michiel Huisman, Toby Jones, Sally Hawkins, Jim Broadbent, Kristen Wiig and Joel Fry.

The story of Father Christmas is reimagined as a tale of kidnapping, pixies and a secret elf village hidden in the snowy wilderness.

A Boy Called Christmas is one of many festive films that will no doubt be let down by its title. It feels like you’ve seen it before because it sounds like one of the umpteen Hallmark Channel monstrosities that land on Channel 5 – or, increasingly, Netflix – every December. In fact, this new fantasy adventure from director Gil Kenan – co-writer of the recent Ghostbusters: Afterlife – is exactly the sort of movie that Christmas at the cinema should be all about. It’s charming, schmaltzy and ultimately a little bit naff.

Adapted from Matt Haig’s novel of the same name, the film version provides a framing device in which Maggie Smith’s curmudgeonly Aunt Ruth – when she’s chirpily wished “merry Christmas”, she snaps back that she’s “working on it” – tells the story to her family on Christmas Eve. Nikolas (Henry Lawfull) lives with his woodcutter father (Michiel Huisman) in a poor part of Finland. Along with many of the local men, Nikolas’s dad is sent by the king (Jim Broadbent) to bring back something which conveys hope, sending them off in search of the mythical kingdom of Elfhelm. When the expedition stretches on, Nikolas and his mouse friend Miika (Stephen Merchant) venture off to find them.

The idea of a revisionist Christmas origin story isn’t a new one, with Netflix’s stunning animation Klaus perhaps the most notable recent spin on the concept. As a result, there’s something a little stale at the heart of A Boy Called Christmas that it can’t ever quite get past, despite its fairy tale spirit, amiable tone and an ensemble cast of performers with the strength to whet the appetite of any fan of recent British cinema.

Chief among the standouts is Sally Hawkins, getting a rare opportunity to clad herself in black and amp up the villainy as the tyrannical ruler of Elfhelm. She was seemingly voted in on the delightfully evil electoral pledge of “no more joy and no more Christmas” and hisses up a storm with malevolent relish, in stark contrast to Toby Jones at his most pleasant and avuncular as an elf resistance activist who takes a huge risk by bringing the human Nikolas into the village. It’s a shame, meanwhile, that we don’t get more of Maggie Smith, given how much fun she is on irascible form in the framing segments.

But as for the leading man, newcomer Henry Lawfull does a solid enough job. He doesn’t have oodles of natural charisma, but he’s believable as a wide-eyed innocent stepping into a world shaped into something ugly by the cynicism of his father’s generation. You don’t have to reach too far for the real-life parallels there. There’s a lot of fun to be had in the back and forth between Lawfull and his mouse sidekick, voiced with incongruous Bristolian wit by Merchant, though the movie spends a lot of time wandering around in the snow without ever pushing its story forward.

And that, ultimately, is what scuppers A Boy Called Christmas . Deliberately or otherwise, it reflects the feeling of Christmas afternoon, when everyone is full of food and too lethargic to ever do anything, despite the surplus of brightly-coloured decorations and red hats with fluffy, white bobbles. It’s a film that leaves you yearning to delve into the riches of its unknown worlds, but lacks the propulsion to actually get the audience there.

The movie is undemanding Christmas fare and it’s certainly not without enjoyable spectacle and fun moments of comedy, as well as some standout performances. In fact, it might be the ideal comfort blanket to reach for during that weird week between Christmas and New Year when time seems to stand still in a liminal muddle of leftover turkey, relatives hanging around slightly too long and finding pine needles everywhere. Otherwise, though, it might be better to just watch Klaus again.

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★

Tom Beasley is a freelance film journalist and wrestling fan. Follow him on Twitter via @TomJBeasley for movie opinions, wrestling stuff and puns.

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A Boy Called Christmas Parent Guide

This film avoids the syrupy sentimentality that bogs down many christmas movies and delivers a strong story with meaningful messages..

Netflix: A boy named Nikolas goes on a quest to find Elfhelm, the fabled village of the elves. Along with a loyal pet mouse and a reindeer named Blitzen, Nikolas discovers his destiny.

Release date November 24, 2021

Run Time: 106 minutes

Get Content Details

The guide to our grades, parent movie review by kirsten hawkes.

“Times are really, really hard. We’re all miserable,” laments the King of Finland (Jim Broadbent) to his subjects. “We all need hope and a spark of magic to keep us all going.” Shrugging off their suggestions about healthcare, living wages, and food security, the King asserts that what they really need is for brave souls to embark on a magic-seeking quest, promising wealth for those who succeed.

Among those who choose to go on the dangerous trip is Joel (Michiel Huisman), a widowed woodcutter who doesn’t believe in magic, but who does believe in the security that comes with lots of cash. He decides to take the risk for the sake of his son Nicholas Henry Lawfull), who he leaves in the care of his selfish, callous sister (Kristen Wiig).

Kids’ Christmas movies run the gamut from clichéd shlock through to meaningful classic entertainment. A Boy Called Christmas might or might not become a classic, but it avoids the syrupy sweetness that gums up many seasonal offerings and offers moments of dry wit, wintry adventure, and an unexpected twist on Santa Claus’s origin story.

The big surprise with this film is how dark it gets. Like Netflix’s other Santa origin tale, Klaus, this story has Father Christmas emerge as a balm in times of suffering. And there’s suffering aplenty here. The people of Finland are poor and cold and hungry. The residents of Elfhelm are frightened and oppressed. Nicholas has been bereaved by the death of his mother, has suffered abuse at the hands of his aunt, and faces the loss of his father. There are dark moments of death, sorrow, and shattered illusions in this film, but they give the story depth and meaning, raising it above the sugary tropes that too often dominate holiday entertainment. There are lessons here about living with grief, moving forward after loss, developing resilience, being kind when it’s hard, fighting back against fear and ignorance, and living with integrity. As Nicholas says in an agonizing moment, “Being good is better than being rich. Better than anything.”

It’s a sign of a good family film when adults and kids can watch the same movie and see two different stories. Young viewers will see Nicholas’ enchanting journey to Elfhelm. Adults willcatch a storyline involving national security: after the kidnapping of a youngster, the elves create a police state based on fear of outsiders. The elves’ leader (Sally Hawkins) even cracks down at home, banning activities that “let their guard down” and ruthlessly punishing dissenters. Kids won’t see it, but this is a story about balancing security and liberty in a post-9/11 world.

Despite the meaty subjects, A Boy Called Christmas rarely gets preachy. The action moves briskly along, there is some humor to leaven the tale, and Nicholas’s talking mouse, Miika (voiced by Stephen Merchant), steals the show. The all-star cast are clearly enjoying their roles and young Henry Lawfull provides a suitably soulful Nicholas. This isn’t the Christmas story you will expect but that doesn’t mean it won’t be the surprise under the tree that you come back to again and again.

About author

Kirsten hawkes, watch the trailer for a boy called christmas.

A Boy Called Christmas Rating & Content Info

Why is A Boy Called Christmas rated PG? A Boy Called Christmas is rated PG by the MPAA for peril, action and thematic elements

Violence: A man swings an ax at a mouse. A character is seen falling to his death. There’s mention of a woman being eaten by a bear. A bear chases a man and child. A boy is chased by a wounded reindeer. A kidnapped child is seen in a cage. A child is tied to a tree for the night. A woman overworks and starves a child. A troll is given a leaf that causes his head to explode (off screen). A woman uses a magical staff to float people off the ground and to blast a tree. Sexual Content: None. Profanity: None. Alcohol / Drug Use:   None.

Page last updated February 24, 2022

A Boy Called Christmas Parents' Guide

Why does Nicholas’s father make the choices he makes? What effect do those choices have on Nicholas? What are the consequences of Joel’s decisions? What does Nicholas learn from his father?

Why has life changed in Elfhelm? Do the changes make the elves safer? What do the elves learn from Nicholas? What does he learn from them?

Loved this movie? Try these books…

Related home video titles:.

There are other options for Santa origin stories. Klaus is an animated film featuring a reclusive toymaker and a desperate postmaster who work together to help the local town. In Arthur Christmas , the role of Santa is hereditary, passed from father to son. The current Santa will be succeeded by his eager, highly organized firstborn, but his second son Arthur seems feckless, until the time comes when he has to save Christmas for one child. A suburban dad unexpectedly assumes the role of the Big Guy after a Christmas Eve accident in The Santa Clause .

A reindeer uses her magical powers to help a lonely girl in Blizzard . A Reindeer’s Journey takes a documentary look at the real existence of reindeer in Finland.

Related news about A Boy Called Christmas

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

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A Boy Called Christmas

Short takes

Not suitable under 5; parental guidance to 8 (sense of peril, threatened violence, sad themes)

This topic contains:

• overall comments and recommendations
• details of classification and consumer advice lines for A Boy Called Christmas
• a review of A Boy Called Christmas completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 18 November 2021 .

Overall comments and recommendations

About the movie.

This section contains details about the movie, including its classification by the Australian Government Classification Board and the associated consumer advice lines. Other classification advice (OC) is provided where the Australian film classification is not available.

ACCM review

This review of the movie contains the following information:

• a synopsis of the story
• use of violence
• material that may scare or disturb children
• product placement
• sexual references
• nudity and sexual activity
• use of substances
• coarse language
• the movie’s message

A synopsis of the story

A day before Christmas, three young children in London do not feel joyous as they are still grieving over their Mum’s death. To make things worse, their Dad has to work late and asks Aunt Ruth to look after them. Ruth (Maggie Smith) is an odd, elderly woman whom the children find a bit weird, but they know that their Mum liked Ruth, and as Ruth starts telling them a tale, they are soon fully absorbed in the story about a boy called Christmas . Through this story they follow young Nikolas (Henry Lawfull), who lives in a little cabin high up in the woods in Finland, with his father (Michiel Huisman), a poor woodcutter, after his mother was killed by a bear. When the King announces an award to the person who manages to bring back hope and magic to the poverty-ridden people, Nikolas’ father sets off North in the quest to find the mythical ‘Elfhelm’ that Nikolas’ mother used to talk about. After weeks of being in the care of his horribly mean aunt, Nikolas realises that the red pointed cap – made by his mother – contains a hidden map showing the way to Elfhelm. Together with his only friend, talking pet mouse Miika (Stephen Merchant), Nikolas sets off to find and support his father – and perhaps to find out why his mother had given him the nickname, “Christmas”, a word that so far had no meaning to him.

Themes info

Children and adolescents may react adversely at different ages to themes of crime, suicide, drug and alcohol dependence, death, serious illness, family breakdown, death or separation from a parent, animal distress or cruelty to animals, children as victims, natural disasters and racism. Occasionally reviews may also signal themes that some parents may simply wish to know about.

Christmas movie; Fantasy; Magic; Adventure.

Use of violence info

Research shows that children are at risk of learning that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution when violence is glamourised, performed by an attractive hero, successful, has few real life consequences, is set in a comic context and / or is mostly perpetrated by male characters with female victims, or by one race against another.

Repeated exposure to violent content can reinforce the message that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution. Repeated exposure also increases the risks that children will become desensitised to the use of violence in real life or develop an exaggerated view about the prevalence and likelihood of violence in their own world.

There is some violence in this movie, including:

• Nikolas’ aunt is emotionally cruel and abusive, forcing Nikolas to sleep outside in the freezing cold, and worst of all, turns his only precious possession – a turnip doll made by his mother – into soup.
• Nikolas’ father and his fellow men kidnap a young Elf named Kip and keep him in a cage, leaving Kip’s parents and the inhabitants of Elfhelm distraught.
• When Nikolas and his father free Kip and escape, the men shoot arrows at them.
• Elfhelm’s leader, Mother Something, has a sceptre that shoots lightning bolts, and she threatens and restrains disobedient subjects.
• Nikolas is thrown into a prison cell.
• Nikolas gets caught and nearly eaten by an angry giant troll.

Material that may scare or disturb children

Under five info.

Children under five are most likely to be frightened by scary visual images, such as monsters, physical transformations.

In addition to the above-mentioned violent scenes, there are some scenes in this movie that could scare or disturb children under the age of five, including the following:

• Nikolas and his father only just save themselves from a fierce bear, and the audience learns that the bear killed the mother.
• As Nikolas and his father try to escape from the men, Nikolas’ father falls to his death over the edge of a mountain cliff. Nikolas is wailing and crying with grief.
• The troll is quite ugly and scary.
• Parental death is a recurring topic (the London children lost their mother, Nikolas lost his mother, then his father). This could be triggering and upsetting for sensitive children or children with relevant family history.

Aged five to eight info

Children aged five to eight will also be frightened by scary visual images and will also be disturbed by depictions of the death of a parent, a child abandoned or separated from parents, children or animals being hurt or threatened and / or natural disasters.

In addition to the above-mentioned violent scenes and scary visual images, there are some scenes in this movie that could scare or disturb children aged five to eight, including the following:

• The above-mentioned scenes and images may scare or disturb children in this age group.

Aged eight to thirteen info

Children aged eight to thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic threats and dangers, violence or threat of violence and / or stories in which children are hurt or threatened.

• Nothing further of concern.

Product placement

• None noted.

Sexual references

Nudity and sexual activity, use of substances, coarse language, in a nutshell.

A Boy Called Christmas is a live-action, family, fantasy, adventure movie based on Matt Haig’s 2015 novel of the same name. The movie is a reimagination of the story of Father Christmas who lives in the far North of Northern Europe and, with the help of elves and his reindeer Blitzen delivers toys to children all over the world. A fantastic cast, fanciful sets, stunning sceneries, a gripping story, a good portion of humour, and plenty of positive role models and messages make this movie a great choice for a family Christmas movie. Parents need to be aware that this movie tells a story about the origin of Christmas alternative to the Christian story of origin, i.e. Christmas as an important religious celebration the remembrance of Jesus Christ. That being said, parents can still use the movie to reiterate core Christian values and themes such as kindness, forgiveness, honesty, and self-sacrifice. The recurring topic of parental death should be considered as potentially upsetting or triggering. However, the movie has a very constructive approach to this difficult subject, and could also be inspiring and bring a sense of hope to children who have experienced loss, for example by acknowledging and validating the incredible pain, but at the same time stressing that tragedy and loss are inevitable parts of life, and that it is still worth it and important to keep an open heart (“Grief is the price we pay for love.”). This and several scenes marked by a sense of peril and danger make the movie not suitable for a very young audience and warrant parental guidance for children aged 5 to 8.

The main messages from this movie are that you can achieve a lot if you set your mind to it and believe in it; that you should never give up hope; and that you should always fight for what you believe in.

Values in this movie that parents may wish to reinforce with their children include:

• Persistence
• Forgiveness
• Strength to move on after tragedy.

This movie could also give parents the opportunity to discuss with their children the importance of forgiveness, and the dangers of hate, and projection: Elfhelm’s leader, Mother Something, has been holding on to her grudge and suspicion towards all humans. As a consequence, she has turned bitter, forbidden her subjects to live old traditions, and she cannot imagine that Nikolas could be different. Nikolas shows her that not all humans are the same, and that there is good in people.

Nikolas also leads by example by forgiving his nasty aunt who treated him so badly. Instead of seeking revenge and marvelling in her misery, he shows strength of character and gives her a special Christmas treat.

Furthermore, it is also nice to see how simple, modest and humble the Elves’ gifts are. Unfortunately, this is ruined by a gigantic mountain of presents that the London children find under their tree. Nevertheless, this could be a good opportunity to stress what Christmas should be about.

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A Boy Called Christmas Parents Guide + Movie Review

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Looking for a dose of holiday cheer? A Boy Called Christmas premieres on Netflix November 24, 2021. A whimsical story in search of hope, is this movie kid-friendly? I’m breaking down all of the thematic elements, including its PG rating, in my A Boy Called Christmas Parents Guide and Movie Review. Here’s what parents need to know to help YOU decide if it’s appropriate for kids. As always, no spoilers!

I don’t know about you, but I love a good Christmas movie. There’s something about them that makes you a feel like a kid again. They help you remember the true meaning of the season, and that you’re never too old to believe in magic.

A Boy Called Christmas opens with three children who have recently lost their mother. It’s Christmas Eve, and they’re having trouble remembering the joy of the season. The kids are still heartbroken over the loss of their mom. One of them even says, “ But I still love mommy with all the broken pieces.” That is about enough to make your heart shatter. 

The kids aren’t thrilled about Aunt Ruth (Maggie Smith), babysitting for the night because she’s so old. However, their aunt surprises them with a story about a boy named Nikolas. The children are immediately able to connect with Nikolas, because he has lost his mother, as well. 

A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS – MAGGIE SMITH as AUNT RUTH. © 2021 Netflix US, LLC – Studiocanal SAS

Nikolas embarks on an expedition to find Elfhelm. He travels with his talking pet mouse, Miika, who is absolutely hysterical. His lines will have you rolling with laughter. Along their journey, they meet a reindeer whom Nikolas names Blitzen. Their adventure is no small feat, as they encounter many challenges along the way. 

Will Nikolas be able to find Elfhelm and restore hope in his village?

A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS – HENRY LAWFULL as NIKOLAS. © 2021 Netflix US, LLC – Studiocanal SAS

Hats off to the filmmakers of A Boy Called Christmas for incorporating such a diverse cast. Each of the characters bring importance to the story. As I said, Miika the mouse was hands down my favorite character. He was super cute and exceptionally hilarious. Zoe Margaret Colletti, who plays The Truth Pixie, was another really fun character, and Mother Vodal, played by Sally Hawkins, portrayed the villain of the story to perfection. Of course we cannot forget Aunt Ruth (Maggie Smith), who brings that whimsical touch.

A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS – (Pictured) Sally Hawkins as Mother Something. Cr: NETFLIX © 2021 Netflix US, LLC – Studiocanal SAS

The Visuals

Talk about absolutely stunning visuals — A Boy Called Christmas certainly doesn’t disappoint. The charm and picturesque landscape of the village is done beyond beautifully. The CGI of Miika the mouse, Blitzen the reindeer, and other animals couldn’t have been done better — each of them showing their unique characteristics and truly looking like real animals. 

A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS – (Pictured) Miika the Mouse (voiced by Stephen Merchant). Cr: NETFLIX © 2021 Netflix US, LLC – Studiocanal SAS

IS A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS KID-FRIENDLY? HERE’S YOUR PARENTS GUIDE:

A Boy Called Christmas arrives on Netflix just in time for the holiday season. If your family is anything like mine, they’ll be aching to watch a brand new Christmas movie. However, crazy cute mouse or not, there are certain notable elements parents need to know before allowing their children to watch this film.

A Boy Called Christmas has an MPAA rating of PG for peril, action, and thematic elements. It has a runtime of 1 hour 46 minutes.  There is no down time in this movie, it moves at the perfect pace. Let’s break down the thematic elements and take a closer look.

Language  

There is no profanity in A Boy Called Christmas. Characters use words such as “dippy,” “knob,” and “fools.” I certainly appreciated the mild language.

The violence level is fairly tame. There are a few chase scenes, and a troll tries to eat a child. There is mention of making people’s  heads explode, and you witness a character fall to their death. The villain in the film uses a magical staff to stop people and as a means of destruction. There is also a child shown in a cage.

Sensitive Content

There is a lot of mention of the mother’s death from both families in the movie. The loss of a parent is certainly something that can be upsetting for little ones. 

Age Recommendation

Although there are a few themes that might be a bit unsettling to children, I would recommend A Boy Called Christmas for ages 6 and up. However, if a storyline involving the death of a parent would be too upsetting, I’d hold off until they are older. There are many powerful messages tucked into this film. Kids and adults will appreciate the takeaways.

A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS – (Pictured) Indica Watson as Little Noosh. Cr: Jonathan Olley/NETFLIX © 2021 Netflix US, LLC – Studiocanal SAS

Overall Thoughts

A Boy Called Christmas is a magical film to remind you that “Christmas is the kindest and smiliest day of all.” There is an important message that seeing is believing and home is a not a place, but a feeling. Above all, A Boy Called Christmas brings us the magic of joy, and joy can give us hope. Grab your family, your popcorn, hot cocoa, and a snuggly blanket. A Boy Called Christmas  hits Netflix November 24th.

A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS – (L-R) Henry Lawfull as Nikolas, Miika the Mouse (voiced by Stephen Merchant) and Zoe Margaret Colletti as The Truth Pixie . Cr: NETFLIX © 2021 Netflix US, LLC – Studiocanal SAS

A Boy Called Christmas Synopsis

An ordinary young boy called Nikolas sets out on an extraordinary adventure into the snowy north in search of his father who is on a quest to discover the fabled village of the elves, Elfhelm. Taking with him a headstrong reindeer called Blitzen and a loyal pet mouse, Nikolas soon meets his destiny in this magical, comic and endearing story that proves nothing is impossible.

I HOPE YOU FOUND THIS A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS PARENTS GUIDE AND MOVIE REVIEW HELPFUL FOR YOUR FAMILY. WILL YOU BE WATCHING?!

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A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS

"hope is the greatest gift".

What You Need To Know:

Miscellaneous Immorality: Deals with heavier themes like grief, but this is met with belief in humanity as opposed to God.

More Detail:

A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS is an adventure fantasy streaming on Netflix about a young boy named Nikolas who befriends a talking mouse and a reindeer in his quest to find his father and the mysterious, legendary city of Elfhelm, to bring hope to the kingdom. A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS is a creative, fantastical origin story about Father Christmas and stresses hope, trust and family, but it contains some pagan mythology, occult elf magic and no references to the real reason for Christmas, Jesus.

The movie opens as a young family gets a visit from their Aunt Ruth. For the three children, this is their first Christmas without their mother, and they decided not to decorate their house for the holidays. That night, Aunt Ruth tells them a bedtime story about a young boy named Nikolas.

Nikolas, whose mother died when he was younger, lives with his father in a ramshackle cabin in the woods. Despite their humble lifestyle, Nikolas is content to live with his father and the stories of Elfhelm left behind by her mother. However, Nikolas knows his father doesn’t believe as strongly in Elfhelm as he does, and he determines that he will find it one day.

It is winter in the land, and the king invites all the people to his castle to address their poverty. The king promises an award to anyone who can bring him something that will give him, and the villagers, hope.

Nikolas’ father sets out to the north toward Elfhelm, while Nikolas is forced to stay behind with his cruel Aunt. With only the company of a mouse named Miika, he escapes his aunt in search of his father and of Elfhelm.

Nikolas teaches Miika to talk, and the duo stumbles upon an injured reindeer. Nikolas is able to help the reindeer and gains another travel companion for this long journey. Through belief, Nikolas, Miika and the reindeer find Elfhelm, but it isn’t the joyous, celebratory city of his mother’s stories.

An evil elf has taken control of the city and throws Nikolas into prison. While there, he meets a truth pixie who agrees to restore hope to Elfhelm and save his father. Led by hope, truth and his love for his family, Nikolas must face tremendous odds and restore both his home and the kingdom.

A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS is a creative, fantastical origin story for Father Christmas. It puts an emphasis on hope, trust and family. Also, characters are willing to sacrifice, at great cost, for the betterment of others. However, an evil elf is shown using Harry Potter-like magic to imprison elves who want to celebrate Christmas. There’s also some brief pagan mythology. In addition, A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS has no references to Jesus and scenes of peril. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for older children.

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A Boy Called Christmas Review: Santa’s Magical Origin Story

December 1, 2021 By Ashley Leave a Comment

A Christmas movie for all ages, A Boy Called Christmas sees the incredible Dame Maggie Smith tell the origin of Santa Claus. It is just as magical and hopeful as the holiday season, taking special care to also address the bittersweet feelings that can come along this time of year. 

A Boy Called Christmas Review

Based on Matt Haig's book by the same name, A Boy Called Christmas tells the story of the origin of Santa Claus. It all starts when great Aunt Ruth (Dame Maggie Smith) comes to visit her late niece's family. When their father Matt (Joel Fry) leaves for work on Christmas Eve, Ruth begins telling the children a story about a boy called Nikolas (Henry Lawfull). Nikolas lives in the forest of Finland with his father Joel (Michiel Huisman). Although they are poor they have each other. Until one day Joel leaves in search of Elfhelm, the mythical kingdom of elves, in order to cash in on a reward offered by the King (Jim Broadbent). Nikolas' awful Aunt Carlotta (Kristin Wiig) comes to watch him but he soon runs away in search of his father with his faithful mouse Mikka (Stephen Merchant). But what he discovers along the way leads to him becoming the legend he is today.

A Boy Called Christmas  is a magical story about the origins of Santa Claus that does not shy away from the harder realities that children face. Those real world feelings help the moments of triumph and fun feel more joyful. Children will delight in spotting all the little clues that are iconic to Santa and Christmas itself. Although it is Merchant's Miika that steals the show thanks to the mouse's adorableness and witty remarks. 

RELATED: 8-Bit Christmas Review: A Mix Of Nostalgia, Laughs, and Holiday Hijinks

A big part of what makes this film a delight to watch is the cast. Dame Maggie Smith is always a force, daring the viewer to focus on anyone or anything but her. Truly though, Merchant is a scene stealer. Once Miika finds his voice there is no stopping this very opinionated mouse. His thoughts on what Christmas is will have the entire family laughing. Lawfull might be a newcomer but his performance proves he has a bright future ahead of him. He is able to convey both the deep love and anguish Nikolas feels when revelations about his father come to light. Before this film, imaging Huisman as a father would have been difficult for anyone who has watched Game of Thrones , but like the others he embodies his character and delivers a wonderful performance. 

Wiig's Aunt Carlotta will instantly remind Roald Dahl readers of Mrs Twit. The two could be twins for the hatred they feel towards children. Her face as she observes Nikolas eating his only toy, a doll carved by his late mother out of an old turnip, is particularly awful yet fun to watch. No one is blaming him for running far away from that evil woman.

In Elfhelm the magic really blooms not only with the elves but with the sets and colors the production team created to bring this mythical place to life. It truly is a place of wonder that even Mother Vodol (Sally Hawkins) can't completely snuff out. The cheerful Hawkins leans hard into the hardened, strict Vodol which will make children forget she is the lovely Mrs. Brown in Paddington . 

Director Gil Kenan made sure to sprinkle Easter eggs or rather in this case Christmas eggs that show where Nikolas came across some of his iconic pieces. His red hat with white fluff was something made by his mother, he rescued a reindeer and named him Blitzen after Lake Blitzen, and viewers are treated to a look as to how Nikolas is able to use magic. More Christmas traditions are explained including the origin of the British custom of Christmas crackers thanks to the always honest Truth Pixie. 

Writers Kenan and Ol Parker stay true to Haig's original tale that is not just a happy go lucky fairytale, but rather one that also steps into the darkness so the audience can fully appreciate the light. That is especially evident when reunited with his father, Nikolas learns the truth everyone must face, parents aren't perfect. It can be a devastating thing, but the filmmakers do the work, allowing children to learn, along with Nikolas, how to honestly face these moments. Their approach to grief at times came across a bit harsh, so there is that caution for those who are feeling extra sensitive right now. And while it is predictable where the story will end, there are enough diversions to make up for it. An amusing twist at the end has the story come full circle, setting the stage for the holiday season to truly begin. 

Nikolas' quest for hope is something people of all ages can relate to as uncertainty lingers like the chill of winter in the air. It is warm, entertaining and offers some light into a season that can be a bit dark for many. A Boy Called Christmas  offers something unique in a sea of holiday films, a C.S. Lewis-esque look at Santa's origin, Christmas traditions, and a testament to the power of hope. 

A Boy Called Christmas is now available on Netflix. It has a runtime of 1 hour 46 minutes and is rated PG for for peril, action, and thematic elements.

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A boy called christmas, common sense media reviewers.

Death, gore, peril, and pee in traumatic Santa origin story.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

A few references to Scandinavian countries, at the

Amid the death, violence, bathroom humor, and the

Nikolas shows kindness to mouse Miika, to reindeer

Before the story begins, Nikolas' mother dies prot

Lots of bathroom humor, mostly involving Blitzen's

Parents need to know that A Boy Called Christmas , now adapted for a Netflix movie, is a Father Christmas origin story, but maybe not the nice cozy tale you're expecting. Lead character Nikolas, the 11-year-old son of a poor Finnish woodcutter, eventually becomes the figure we now know as Santa Claus, magical…

Educational Value

A few references to Scandinavian countries, at the time so sparsely populated that only eight people live in Norway.

Positive Messages

Amid the death, violence, bathroom humor, and the like, there are oft-repeated messages about kindness, the joy of giving, spreading that joy around, and showing goodwill to all. Also believing in magic, and that there's no such thing as impossible, as magical thinking overcomes any obstacle. Greed is frowned upon.

Positive Role Models

Nikolas shows kindness to mouse Miika, to reindeer Blitzen (wounded by an arrow), and assorted elves, and shows great courage, determination, and quick thinking in freeing a kidnapped elf boy from his captors. His memories of his long-dead mother inspire him with the joy of giving. His father is led to evil ways because he wants to have enough money so he and his son won't live in poverty, but comes to realize he's done wrong. Most elves are kind, hardworking, creative craftspeople who start by taking in Nikolas and become the force behind Santa's workshop. Blitzen the reindeer pees on people for fun, quite a lot. The creepy aunt who's supposed to be taking care of Nikolas is not only entirely self-centered, she's mean for the pure fun of it.

Violence & Scariness

Before the story begins, Nikolas' mother dies protecting him from a bear (who continues to pop up in the story). His father also meets a dramatic, violent death, after he's participated in the kidnapping and imprisonment of an elf boy. The elves imprison Nikolas with a murderous pixie and a troll who plans to eat him. Thanks to a poison nurtured by the pixie, the troll's head literally explodes, with much gore and grossness. A hunter shoots a reindeer character with an arrow and later jokes about it when against all odds, the reindeer lives and re-enters the hunter's life. Nikolas' only toy and friend is a turnip carved to look like a doll, a last present from his dead mom -- so his mean aunt makes it into a soup and doesn't tell him till he's eaten it. The leader of the elves is a hostile fellow who sent his kindhearted predecessor on an assignment where she was quickly devoured.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Lots of bathroom humor, mostly involving Blitzen's weaponized pee (called "wee" here because it's British) skills.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that A Boy Called Christmas , now adapted for a Netflix movie , is a Father Christmas origin story, but maybe not the nice cozy tale you're expecting. Lead character Nikolas, the 11-year-old son of a poor Finnish woodcutter, eventually becomes the figure we now know as Santa Claus, magical giver of toys, spreader of goodwill, and friend to all -- but not before he's lost both parents to violent death, been imprisoned by elves, and only saved from being eaten by a troll by the fact that the troll's head explodes, with much gore. Blitzen the reindeer pees on people for fun, so there's plenty of bathroom humor. Nikolas shows selfless courage when he rescues an elf boy kidnapped by greed-driven humans, and there are frequently repeated messages about goodwill, kindness, and how the joy of giving and belief in magic make everything better -- "Papa, please. Toys are great. But being good is better than being rich." But it's an uneasy, half-baked mix of trauma, silliness, and gross-out humor that may traumatize more than delight some young readers expecting a nice Santa story.

Where to Read

Community reviews.

• Parents say (1)

Based on 1 parent review

A very dark Christmas tale.

What's the story.

A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS is really named Nikolas, but he was born on Christmas Day to a poor Finnish woodcutter and his wife, who always called him "Christmas." His mother dies protecting him from a bear when he's very young, but he cherishes her memory -- and the turnip she gave him, carved to look like a doll, as a rare Christmas present. His father goes off on an expedition that promises riches, an end to poverty, and adventure among the elves, leaving Nikolas in the "care" of his cruel Aunt Carlotta. Soon the 11-year-old leaves home in search of his father, accompanied by a mouse and a reindeer. Stumbling across the land of the elves, he's soon imprisoned with a troll who plans to eat him and a pixie whose idea of fun is watching heads explode. Literally.

Is It Any Good?

Matt Haig's Santa origin story may not be every kid's Christmas dish, what with its mix of dead parents, exploding troll heads, greedy kidnappers, and reindeer pee among the uplifting messages. But A Boy Called Christmas , aka 11-year-old Nikolas, survives peril and trauma, shows courage and kindness, and finds ways to put magic to work spreading the joy of giving around the world. Black-and-white illustrations by Chris Mould bring the winter scenes and quirky characters to life.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about Santa Claus, who he is, and how he came to be such a big part of Christmas celebrations. Many different versions appear in different places and cultures -- how do you think A Boy Called Christmas compares with others you may know?

Would you change your name (as a character does in this story) if you found out it meant something gross in another language?

Much of the story deals with rebuilding the trust between humans and elves after the humans committed a terrible betrayal. If someone who once trusted you no longer does -- rightly or wrongly -- what might you do to mend things?

Book Details

• Author : Matt Haig
• Illustrator : Chris Mould
• Genre : Holiday
• Topics : Cats, Dogs, and Mice , Friendship , Holidays
• Book type : Fiction
• Publisher : Knopf
• Publication date : November 1, 2016
• Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
• Number of pages : 240
• Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
• Last updated : December 2, 2021

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

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Reviews by someone who's seen the movie

A Boy Called Christmas

A superhero origin story of sorts, A Boy Called Christmas is slightly vague about the costumed crusader it has in mind. Is it Saint Nicholas, aka Santa Claus? Or his pagan predecessor, Father Christmas, the white-bearded giftbringer who “flew” through the winter night on his fleet-footed steed possibly with a hallucinogenic aerial assist from fly agaric mushrooms?

Slight quibble to one side, this is actually a nice, sweet, middle-of-the-road story about a boy’s Christmas-y fairytale quest to find Elfhelm, home of the elves, and it builds gently and unexceptionally towards a an emotional climax that might catch you off guard.

The Princess Bride is the quasi-template, with Maggie Smith in the Peter Falk role as the storytelling aunt babysitting her three nieces/nephews and telling them a bedtime story she hopes will help them see the world more positively after the death of their mother.

It’s a story of a quest, which is set up in a funny scene whose Princess Bride tone the film half-heartedly aspires to replicate throughout. The king (Jim Broadbent) asks his subjects what they’d most like him to provide for them. They respond with suggestions like “health care”, “a living wage” and a “fair system of governance”. Instead the king offers a fanciful quest, pioneering a technique of blindsiding citizens with unicorns that works to this day.

So, off the father sets to find Elfhelm and glory, and off the motherless Nikolas (Henry Lawfull) eventually sets, too, following Dad northward once he’s escaped the clutches of his neglectful aunt (Kristen Wiig). Acting as Disney animal sidekick with Nikolas is his pet mouse, which will eventually learn to speak (voiced by Stephen Merchant, working his dopey/clever shtick). En route Nikolas will also pick up a wounded reindeer, and name him Blitzen.

You can see where this is going, which is more than you can say for Nikolas, who arrives in Elfhelm without being able to see it, because he doesn’t “believe” enough. A case of too much mainstream media? After a bit of post-truth indoctrination/revelation at the hands of a smartypants girl called Little Noosh (Indica Watson) and her great great grandfather Father Topo (Toby Jones), the scales fall from Nikolas’s eyes and suddenly there is Elfhelm, a land ruled by the angry Mother Vodol (Sally Hawkins), a fervent ethno-nationalist – “Elfhelm for the elves”.

The dips into conspiracy theorising, the politics of race and the on/off satirical tone make for uneven storytelling. Do it or don’t do it, say I, but don’t dick about. More successful is the way director Gil Kenan and co-writer Ol Parker appropriate Potterish wonder, Game of Thrones bleakness and Lord of the Rings questing tropes to tell their story, plus the excellent costume design (by Ruth Myers), who has raided the archives on what the Finns used to wear (and some Sami still do) for the last word in Nordic cold-weather chic.

Dario Marianelli’s score is a genuine problem, as if he were trying to assert himself against general indifference, like some exhausted child who just won’t go to bed. And Henry Lawfull’s performance isn’t always sure of itself either – a winsome/irksome switchback. Lawfull was about 13 at the time. The right age for a coming-of-age role, but a hard age to be playing one.

Back and forth it goes. Maggie Smith sprinkling stardust as she tells the kids their story in snug-as-a-bug-in-a-rug style, Lawfull’s Nikolas on his journey towards become Father Christmas, picking up all the signifiers of office en route – Blitzen flies, a red hat is sourced and worn, the whole “Toys R Me” idea is dreamt up – while no one ever really explains where this word Christmas comes from in the first place, in what is obviously a pre-Christian world, apart from some nonsense about it being Nikolas’s dead mother’s pet name for him.

But the strange thing about A Boy Called Christmas is that for all the many niggles, it eventually does deliver the goods. The emotional payload eventually drops down the chimney but only once Kenan and Parker have dropped all the smart stuff and polical snidery in favour of a simple message of children being happy at a festive time of year. Everything suddenly clicks in to place. It is only for the last 20 minutes or so – but hey, grab ye joys where ye may.

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[imdb]tt10187208[/imdb]