All Is Merry & Bright is a family Christmas film that not only serves as a reminder of what make Christmas special but also delivers a strong message.

Jessica Tannen’s plans for an ideal family Christmas get out of control. In what may be the last holiday with the family all together, Jessica (who is suffering from arthritis and walks with a stick) strives to pull off a perfectly jolly Christmas. But with a never-ending task list, a sibling grudge reigniting, and mounting mishaps, Jessica slightly loses it. Add in extended family arriving early and a mischievous dog, everyone is in for a season of chaos.

Emily Rose and Eric Close star in this movie as Jessica and her husband, and they both do a great job in pulling this film along, and sometimes unfortunately it does need pulling along. At times the plot feels predictable and slow and while this is billed as a comedy, it falls flat in places. It carries more like a TV movie and could be shorter, though it is better that similar Christmas movies.

But… Brush away what is meant to be comedy, look past the shortcomings, this film delivers so much more, by and far the second half of this movies packs a punch. It doesn’t just remind us about what makes Christmas special or the enduring strength of family, it delivers forgiveness, it focuses us on Jesus. It also (which we commend this film for) tackles the question that many people have on healing, why are some healed and some not healed, and it does this quite well and with emotion. 

Overall perhaps All Is Merry & Bright, does what it set out to do, it brings chaos but out of the chaos comes forgiveness, peace and healing and that what Jesus can do, He brings forgiveness, peace and healing through the chaos of our lives.