Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Kids save the day in family-friendly holiday caper.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
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Where to Watch
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A Christmas Mystery
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 2 parent reviews
What's the Story?
In A CHRISTMAS MYSTERY, when George (Drew Powell) is arrested for the theft of the town's most valuable artifact, a set of sleigh bells that supposedly dropped from Santa's flying sleigh, 11-year-old Violet (Violet McGraw) just knows that kindly George couldn't have done such a thing. He's the dad of her best friend, Kenny (Santino Barnard), who's devastated that his dad will be in jail for Christmas, a few days later. The events engage Violet and her sleuthing talents. She's certain that even though her father is the sheriff (Eddie Cibrian), the crime won't get solved without her ingenuity. From years of watching her dad and his deputy Terry (Christoph Sanders), she's internalized step-by-step police procedure and knows to look for anyone with "means, motive, and opportunity." Soon she's enlisted the help of her older sister Maddie (Lauren Lindsey Donzis), and Kenny's bitter older brother Harrison (Leonardo Cecchi), who thinks it's possible his dad may have done it just because he'd had a past run-in with the law. Maddie describes to Harrison the heartbreak of losing her mom to cancer and cautions him to appreciate his father before "it's too late." Romance blooms between them. Looming in the background is a mayor (Beau Bridges) running for reelection and his fraught relationship with his son, the bumbling deputy Terry. Dogged and gritty, the four kids find evidence the police ignored, proving that kid power isn't to be trifled with.
Is It Any Good?
A Christmas Mystery is a solid, kid-centric holiday movie that empowers children with examples set by Violet, Kenny, Maddie, and Harrison. In their quest to solve a crime, they use reason, logic, deductive powers, and common sense, contrasting with the unimaginative and lazy assumptions of adults that lead to the arrest of an innocent man.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about some of the lessons the kids learn while trying to help get an innocent man out of jail.
How does the importance of family play a role in this story?
How does it feel to be wrongly accused of something? Has that ever happened to you? What was the result?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: November 24, 2022
- Cast: Violet McGraw , Santino Barnard , Lauren Lindsey Donzis , Eddie Cibrian , Christoph Sanders
- Director: Alex Ranarivelo
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Latino actors
- Studio: HBO Max
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Run time: 87 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: mild thematic material
- Last updated: May 18, 2023
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