Does anyone remember reading THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER, written by the late author Barbara Robinson, in elementary school?
If I recall correctly, I read THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER twice during my childhood: once on my own and once for an elementary class assignment. I also remember a teacher reading the book to my classmates and me around the holidays, though I can't remember the exact year—either the late 1980s or early 1990s. I also believe we watched the 1983 television movie adaptation on VHS, which starred a young Fairuza Balk (known for Return to Oz, The Craft, and The Waterboy).
The new big-screen adaptation of THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER (PG; 98 minutes), directed by Dallas Jenkins, the creator of The Chosen television series, and written for the screen by Ryan Swanson, Platte F. Clark, and Darin McDaniel, grossed over $11 million in its debut weekend at the box office. The cast includes Judy Greer (Halloween (2018)), Pete Holmes, Molly Belle Wright, and Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls).
The film was produced by Kingdom Story Company and distributed theatrically by Lionsgate on November 8, 2024. It received positive reviews from mainstream critics, earning an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The CinemaScore audience score gave it an "A" on an A+ to F scale.
THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER follows the six Herdman siblings, who sneak into church looking for snacks and unexpectedly end up with the lead roles in the town's pageant. Grace (Judy Greer) is directing the pageant for the first time, and she, along with her daughter Beth (Molly Belle Wright) and husband Bob (Pete Holmes), is less than amused by the situation. However, the pageant's mischievous stars may inadvertently teach the community the true meaning of Christmas.
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My expectations for remakes are typically low because Hollywood often modernizes stories to the point where they drift far from the original material. However, the situation is a bit different for THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER. It seems that the filmmakers avoided the 1983 television adaptation and instead based the screenplay on Barbara Robinson's 1972 book. With low expectations in mind, I was pleasantly surprised that I ended up enjoying this film.
I have to credit to director Dallas Jenkins. I've always heard that child actors can be challenging for directors to work with, but the majority of the film's cast is made up of kids, and each of them delivers believable performances. As for the older cast, Judy Greer shines as Grace Bradley, a mother who takes on the challenging responsibility of directing the church's pageant. Lauren Graham plays the older version of Grace's daughter, Beth, who narrates throughout the film and makes a cameo appearance at the end.
I have to credit to director Dallas Jenkins. I've always heard that child actors can be challenging for directors to work with, but the majority of the film's cast is made up of kids, and each of them delivers believable performances. As for the older cast, Judy Greer shines as Grace Bradley, a mother who takes on the challenging responsibility of directing the church's pageant. Lauren Graham plays the older version of Grace's daughter, Beth, who narrates throughout the film and makes a cameo appearance at the end.
Overall, THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER is a charming holiday comedy that the whole family will enjoy watching together. I recommend seeing it in theaters this holiday season. ╌★★★★★
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