That Christmas

An animated film set in a seaside town in England. Christmas preparations are under way. There is a school show, meals are being planned in the houses and everyone has their own trouble: a girl who has just moved cannot make friends, one of two twins lives in the shadow of the other, and a child will spend the holiday alone because his parents are working. Then the snow starts. Far more falls than expected, the roads close and most of the adults are stuck outside. The children are in the houses on their own. The narrative runs several stories in parallel and they all come together on the same night. There is also Father Christmas's line. He is tired, his routine has slipped and this year he makes a mistake; the consequences bear directly on one child's life. The source is Richard Curtis's children's books; he worked on the screenplay as well. Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw, Bill Nighy, Jodie Whittaker and Lolly Adefope are among the voices. Simon Otto directed; he ran character animation at a large studio for years and this is his first film as director. The visual design is kept close to the book illustrations. It was released on a streaming service. A pleasant choice for anyone who likes family animation and Christmas films. For a viewer expecting a single story, the film divides itself among a large number of characters.