For many people, a familiar pastime in the weeks leading up to major winter holidays is gathering with family members and watching holiday movies, be they in a theater or on television. During the month of December, the Falls Free Press will return to our tradition of “The 12 Films of Christmas,” focusing on new holiday movies for the year 2024—a year that can still do with plenty of peace and joy. We will review each film, whether naughty or nice, and let you know where to watch.
While the idea of “Christmas in July” started off as a quirky summer camp activity, it was quickly adopted by American consumerism and marketing teams to sell more during the summer. Nonetheless, that simple celebration during a non-Christmas season can never truly be off the table, especially this year when holiday decorations were seen much earlier as many people hopefully tried to focus on anything other than the election. When it came to the unexpected family film A Sudden Case of Christmas, it was easy to feel comfortable with the plot of an untimely holiday get together.
In the film, the Randall family make an unexpected trip to Italy where Abby’s father, played by Danny DeVito, owns and operates a hotel. Just as surprised as his granddaughter about the visit, a trip that traditionally happens during the winter, he learns that Jacob and Abby (Wilmer Valderramma and DeVito’s real-life daughter Lucy) have decided to divorce, and they want grandpa to break the news to their daughter Claire (Antonella Rose). Smarter than the adults give her credit for however, Claire has already started connecting the clues and has a proposition for her family–one last Christmas at the hotel with the whole family, no matter if it’s currently the summer.
Alongside the main cast are Andie MacDowell and José Zúñiga, playing Jacob’s parents who find themselves with a different set of relationship issues that include a past summer fling. Meanwhile, Claire learns that her winter boyfriend has met somebody new, which complicates her plans of documenting the trip with him. Additionally, DeVito finds himself with a frustrated guest who hates that the hotel is being decorated for the holiday– a plot that disappears halfway through the movie, just as sudden as the title refers. While these stories are minor throughout the film, their presence does add extra depth to the discussion of divorce, despite some confusion from too many side stories in the long run.
Nothing about this plot seems any different from the slew of the Hallmark Channel’s “Countdown to Christmas” or “Christmas in July” bundles of movies; however, the occasional married men and women flirting with people other than their spouse, as well as the writers’ comedic look at the Catholic Church, would prevent the script from even entering a Hallmark inbox. Despite those aspects of the film, the story of Claire trying to bring her parents closer together to prevent the divorce is a wholesome one that shows how over time couples can change, and especially in the case of her other grandparents, these events never change how much they will care about family.
For fans of Danny DeVito, in particular the fewer family films in which he has starred, A Sudden Case of Christmas is a perfect new traditional watch. If you are expecting more of his type of humor from shows like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, however, this is a good one to skip. For this reviewer, while I enjoyed the family drama, it won’t be one I watch annually.
A Sudden Case of Christmas is available to stream on Hulu, on DVD and for purchase/rent on demand.
