Everyone needs an origin story these days, even Father Christmas.
And while the man with the bag has been the subject of many a seasonal movie, this one also aims to tackle the heavy subject of grief.
Nikolas (Henry Lawfull) lives in the snowy woods with his woodcutter father Joel (Michiel Huisman), struggling to make ends meet.
When the King (Jim Broadbent) announces a great reward for anyone who can bring back hope to the kingdom, Joel feels he has no choice but to join the search for the fabled Elfhelm, the village of the elves.
Left with his mean Aunt Carlotta (Kristen Wiig), Nikolas discovers a clue to the whereabouts of Elfhelm and runs away to find his father, with sidekick Miika (Stephen Merchant), a mouse that he taught to talk, in tow.
The story is narrated by Maggie Smith as a great aunt to three children who, like Nikolas, have recently lost their mother and, a la The Princess Bride, interject when things get too scary.
And things do get pretty dark at times, however a fun very British sense of humour is there to balance things out.
The magic is made especially tangible through location shooting in Lapland and what look like real sets, along with stunning costume design.
A fun family adventure, A Boy Called Christmas has the chops to potentially become a yearly classic, with the added important message that not all of us get to spend this time with all our loved ones.
A Boy Called Christmas (PG)
Director: Gil Kenan
Starring: Henry Lawfull, Maggie Smith, Jim Broadbent
3.5/5
Now showing
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