Arriving to our cinema screens in the UK in 2009, Natvity brought a fresh plot for a Christmas movie, and it was quite enjoyable. The British family comedy had a budget of just £2million, and although wasn’t wildly successful with critics, it did bring in more than £5million at the UK Box Office. So on the financial front, it was a success.
Directed by Debbie Isitt, it was released in late November 2009, a few weeks after Disney’s animated version of A Christmas Carol was released.
The plot – unspoilt
The movie features the young pupils from St Bernadette’s junior school, a fictional school in the Midlands (UK). The pupils have an on-going rivalry with Oakmoor, a local school which jumps to the beat of slightly eccentric teacher Mr Shakespeare.
The schools go head-to-head each year to see who produces the best nativity play, but this year things will be different. St Bernadette’s teacher Mr Maddens (Martin Freeman) is a frustrated man and also carries around the regret of losing his ex-girlfriend who now works in Hollywood.
Can Mr Maddens inspire his class to produce a show better than their Oakmoor counter-parts? Well, if his Teaching Assistant Mr Poppy has anything to do with it, the answer will be yes. He looks to add some Hollywood sparkle to the big night.
What we thought
We really liked this original British comedy. It’s a different story and has real feel-good vibes to it. It’s festive, funny and suitable to enjoy with all the family. If you haven’t already, give it a try!