Sacré Noël !

This movie is playing on Showtime, and I've been laid up in bed with nothing much to do but read, surf the web and watch TV, so thank god for Showtime!! This movie initially was something I avoided, since I usually really hate kid movies. But strike that; I learned that I really hated *American* kid movies; British kiddie films (and romcoms) are so much better and much more fun. Although Brit humour is right up front, these movies tend not to be dripping with the kind of bottomless cynicism and coy promotion of greedy materialism that lies at the heart of most American movies aimed at the rated G set.

For example, in Nativity!, all the kids come from decidedly the underprivileged and underdog working classes, and their chief rival is a posh upper-class school. In an American film, the gold at the heart of the rainbow would have been literally that: gold. The kids would somehow end up fabulously rich at the end, and their poor, belabored working class parents would now able to buy them everything they could possibly want at Christmastime--the true American dream. In Nativity!, all they really want to do is put on a wicked good holiday show and maybe get their depressed teacher back with his girl. Christmas is not nearly as commercialized and monetized in Europe and the UK, and this aspect is very refreshing whilst watching a movie about the one season that American has utterly and completely ruined. I'm usually quite the grinch about our holiday season, but watching this movie made me happy that all the world is not American. (I'm waiting for someone to call me un-American and a Euro Socialist, hee hee) The musical scene at the end; the Nativity play in all its glory, is stupendous. Simply put, the songs are so catchy that I actually had to buy the soundtrack, which will be a neat from-leftfield addition to the usual hackneyed Christmas music selection. (Note to Americans: in general, the Brits have it all over us in the Xmas music department. They have a yearly holiday music competition, and some pretty great songs have come out of it. Whenever I play my Brit Xmas CDs, everyone is instantly singing along to songs they've heard for the first time, and asking me who it is.) The staging of the kids and the way they handled modernizing the nativity theme for the 7-13 set was really quite amazing. For instance, all of the kids want to please their parents who've never had a chance at anything grest, and want to play the Mary or Joseph role. So, the teacher devises a way in which they ALL can individually be Mary and Joseph in the staging of one of the central musical numbers. Great costumes and sets, and I liked that the kids were NOT too-cutesy, been-there-done-that Hollywood kid pros, as would have been the case in anything American. (One reviewer expressed relief in being able to take her pre-teen girl to see something fun that didn't feature Hanna Montana and shopping: too true!) Some of the kids really can sing, and the ones who are just OK make up for it in pure enjoyment of what they're doing. As others have mentioned, I LOVED the little sprite who played Bob, with his funny strong country accent and rock-n-roll attitude. I imagine I'll be seeing more of that kid; he's too cute and full of a natural energy to slip through the cracks.

What a delightful film! I watched it on a recent flight, thinking I'd go for something light that would keep me awake, not expecting too much really, and then I was absolutely delighted by this feel-good movie! Great and very convincing performance by Martin Freeman. And "Mr. Poppy" (Marc Wootton) is an absolute joy to watch. But it's definitely the children that make this film so special. Some of them are absolutely hilarious.

Great soundtrack, too. Songs that stick in ones mind even long after watching the film.

This is truly one of the best, most heartwarming and most enjoyable Christmas films I've ever seen, and it goes to show that a director doesn't need a huge budget to put together a film that is a joy to watch for everyone - children and adults alike!

Enjoyed it all the way through, yes it is a low budget film, it didn't suffer for, the family will love it....most of the characters are well funny.....nice one for Xmas.....well done Debbie. The introduction of the teaching assistant was fabulous, he and the kids quite rightly stole the film......we all wish we had someone like that at school. Te improvisation was excellent, the kids seemed to really respond well to what for most was an alien environment. The story line held up better than i expected but then i didn't go to see it, expecting to see a masterpiece. The scenes in the Cathedral were brilliant, also it was great to see so much of my home town in the film....and my sister!I would encourage everyone with kids go and see this film....you will enjoy it.

Nativity is heartwarming and completely joyful.

It's about a teacher, Mr Maddens, who is so stressed about organising a Nativity play and meeting an old rival, that he tells the huge white lie that a Hollywood Studio, headed by his ex girlfriend, is coming to see his Nativity Play in Coventry! The lie spirals out of control and soon parents are asking if their kids are going to need Hollywood agents.

I loved the teachers, the British humour and of course the kids.

I was hooked into the world from the word go. I loved the rivalry between the two schools. The introduction of Mr Poppy created even more of a spark. The trip to Hollywood is hilarious and the 20 minute musical finale is stunning.

I took my 9 year old and her mates and they loved it. It's so rare that we can enjoy a film together that isn't about shopping and starring Hannah Montana!

I want to find out if there is a soundtrack.

It's so good to see a film that is just simply joyful. I think it's appeal will last for years.

Nativity centres around a 30/40something primary school teacher who, being a loser in love, has allowed himself to become bitter and resentful towards his pupils.

Needless to say he needs to win back the love of his life and re-find his love for his job, and people in general.

It comfortably falls back on the rich British heritage for nicey nice romcoms and does a fair job. Not one aspect of any of the characters came as any surprise or helped to enrich a two dimensional plot - but who cares, its a Christmas heartwarmer and it does its job well.

Marc Wootton, in particular, was excellent as Mr Poppy and both his visual performance and his well drawn out character were responsible for the majority for the laughs - the remainder falling on the narrow shoulders of a funny looking kid, well cast for his comedic value, but possessed of a face that I was sick of seeing after 90 minutes of obvious set ups, but then that's probably because I'm as misanthropic as the lead character!

I took my seven year old daughter, and she absolutely loved it. If you're not a parent and hate children, this is definitely not for you. If, on the other hand, you love Christmas and still have a tender, warm spot in your heart then you could do a lot worse than to go and see this.