A Very Brady Christmas

A Very Brady Christmas (1988)

** (out of 4)

Instead of going on a vacation to Greece, Carol and Mike Brady (Florence Henderson, Robert Reed) decide to instead invite the six kids and their families to a Christmas dinner. What the parents don't fully know is that all six are facing certain issues that will come out over the holiday. A VERY BRADY Christmas is a pretty silly and pretty stupid little picture but fans of the original TV show should still find it entertaining. I remember watching the show as a kid and enjoying it even though it certainly didn't represent any sort of real life that I knew. This film once again offers up the basic idea of the series, which is that everyone faces a problem but at the end the father will give a speech that makes everyone see things the correct way. I think the biggest thing working against the movie is that they just have so much to do in such little time and this makes for some pacing issues. We basically see Mike and Carol. We then are introduced to the six kids and their problems. Everyone comes together and one by one the problems are solved. There's certainly nothing ground-breaking here but it was still a fun way to get the original cast members to return (with the exception of Cindy) and fans should enjoy seeing them together. Both Henderson and Reed haven't missed a beat in their parts and the kids all do fine as well. Ann B. Davis, on the other hand, is pretty annoying here but this is certainly the fault of the screenplay more than anything else. A VERY BRADY Christmas isn't good enough to watch on a regular basis but it's still got enough bad charm that makes it worth watching just to see the cast members back in action.

This is a movie that is really only going to be tolerated by true "Brady" fans. We never really took them seriously as a family, but we loved watching them. The Brady's are, in deed, a non-existent family, but that makes them even more fun to watch- Escapism !!

And now, the whole family (minus the original Cindy) is back together again in a less-groovy, updated surroundings, for a Christmas gathering, in Brady fashion. The whole house is full of Brady's and more Brady's (they've multiplied). Alice doesn't live here anymore, but she's got problems of her own and shows up at just the right moment- to help with Christmas dinner.

A Very Brady Christmas is less than average t.v. fare if you were not a Brady fan. To those who watched faithfully every Friday night, you're gonna love seeing 'em in all their unbelievable camp, once again.

To those who have watched the Brady Bunch...God! I can't believe it's been that long! If you have watched the series and are a full fledged Brady Bunch fan, then you will enjoy A Very Brady Christmas for your holiday movie viewing.

Shot on the original set, ...and with a few decorative updated changes, Mike and Carol are contemplating how to spend the holidays. And how would family oriented parents spend it---by inviting the whole family!! Of course, not all is perfect with Americas lovable family. Work Stress, tough life career decisions, and divorce loom in the air. But in true Brady and television fashion, all crisis are solved by the end of the episode. ....except one last very life threatening situation.

True, it IS a TV movie based on a TV series. The dialog is tin pan and the acting is grade B acting. But remember, A Very Brady Christmas is a Christmas story fantasy like Frosty The Snowman and Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. The "miracle" ending is laughable but very heartwarming and memorable.

In other words, take it what it is. A Very Brady Christmas should be loved by fans. The Christmas message is that family is most important and possibly with their help we may fulfill our hopes and dreams.--or as Alice says "It's nice to have family" If you never seen the series, you may be dismayed by the sugary sweetness of the characters.

So take a Very Brady Christmas as it is....a family celebration of togetherness that may be sometime to sweet to take, but it goes down like an enjoyable Christmas pie!

No one ever claimed that the Brady's are award winning material, and that's fine with me. We don't watch the Bradys for mental stimulation, we watch them to make us feel like a kid again. Sure the plot is corny, the script is weak and the acting is as cheesy as ever, but isn't that what makes the Bradys special? No one can tell me that "Don't be sorry, just be Wally" isn't one of the greatest lines in Brady history. Those of you who choose to bash the Bradys should maybe chill out a little and realize that the Bradys have been around for over thirty years because loyal fans like me can appreciate the whole corny thing. I will continue to watch it every Christmas and I invite everyone else to as well. Long live the Bradys

This film was rushed into production in 1988. Hollywood was in the middle of a writers strike. This script however was already completed and ready to shoot. In fact the script was around for 5 years before CBS picked it up. Upon viewing the film you can fully understand why it wasn't made. 5 years earlier. "Its not Very Good".

For fans of the show you will enjoy this reunion. However Cindy Brady Susan Olsen declined participation in this and was replaced by Jennifer Runyon and she is fine but true fans will miss Susan I know I did.

In this film The entire Brady family manages to overcome personal obstacles to spend a happy holiday together. Its the first time in years that the entire family is reunited.

Each Brady Child is going through something and has reservation about the reunion.

I think this reunion film was okay but the final few minutes are worse then a visit from cousin Oliver. There is a scene where Mike Brady is in danger on the family starts "Singing".

Listen I loved "The Brady Bunch". I just did not like this film.