I didn't go plan to review The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, the film version of Barbara Robinson's 1972 novel, when the year began. But the trailer looked funny, and so I went, further incentivized by a free ticket I got after my disastrous first attempt to see Piece by Piece. It was as funny as advertised, but it was also a bit more. Let's see what I mean.
The town of Emmanuel prides itself in its annual Christmas Pageant, which is about to celebrate its 75th iteration. Mrs. Armstrong (Mariam Bernstein), the Pageant's long-time director, prides herself in keeping it exactly the same during her whole tenure. When Mrs. Armstrong breaks her legs, Grace Bradley (Judy Greer) steps up to take her place. Grace, who isn't exactly popular with the town's snobby moms, sets out to deliver The Best Christmas Pageant Ever with Mrs. Armstrong's rigid specifications. But then a spanner is thrown into the works.
Six of them, to be exact.
The Herdmans, the town hellions, barge into church expecting free food. They strongarm their way through the casting process, with eldest siblings Imogene & Ralph (Beatrice Schneider & Mason D. Nelligan) as Mary & Joseph, brothers Claude, Leroy & Ollie (Matthew Lamb, Ewan Wood & Esek Moore) as the Wise Men, and sister Gladys (Kynlee Heiman) as the Angel of the Lord. Nobody wants them around, but nobody also wants to tell them off, either. Surprisingly, the Herdmans, whose antics earned them the monicker "The Worst Kids in the World," become invested in the Christmas Story. Maybe the pageant will work, after all.
It's quite easy to dislike the Herdmans for their often-criminal misdeeds, including arson and keeping dangerous animals. They ironically did good by burning down their neighbor's unwanted toolshed. As the narrator (Lauren Graham) tells us, they wouldn't have done it if they knew it was a good thing. As they spend the movie poking holes into the Nativity Story, you'll often agree with their criticisms of the story's harshest aspects. In fact, their outrage towards King Herod's impunity lets us know they aren't that bad. They're also quite grateful when Mr. Bradley (Pete Holmes) donates them a Christmas Ham. The film considers it miraculous when its epilogue states that only one of the Herdmans spent time in prison.
Imogene, the ringleader, has the best character development of her siblings. She earns her fearsome reputation when she threatens the young narrator - Grace's daughter, Beth (Molly Bella-Wright) - over her necklace. She's quite aware of her reputation, but as we learn, she doesn't know how to be anything else but that. Her parents are practically non-existent, which is perhaps why she and her siblings identify with Mary & Joseph's difficult situation. It might have been amusing to see the Herdmans turn the pageant into a light-hearted parody, but it's quite impactful when they take their parts seriously. Gladys, the youngest and loudest of her siblings, actually proves a good choice for the Angel of the Lord. Imogene fully earns her redemption when she hands back the necklace at the end.
There's a good ensemble surrounding the Herdmans. The snobbish adults, including Mrs. Armstrong and Mrs. Wendelken (Danielle Hoetmer) are too funny to be detestable. In fact, it's quite humorous to see them treat the same-old pageant as serious business. The kids, particularly Beth's brother Charlie (Sebastian Billingsley-Rodriguez) and Alice Wendelken (Lorelei Olivia Mote), are as funny as the adults. Charlie, in particular, instigates the plot by lying about the free food. Alice, the town's constant Mary, is nearly cast when it seems the Herdmans will quit; she's almost pitiable when she instead sulks on-stage as an angel. The adult Beth gets the best lines, while young Beth and her parents are quite likable. Mrs. Armstrong quotes Stanislavski's "there are no small parts" philosophy, which the film clearly believes. Everyone did fine here.
In the wrong hands, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever could have been a holier-than-thou mess. But director Dallas Jenkins (The Chosen) and his screenwriters have instead created an outrageously funny, and sincerely heartwarming, family film. It's a film that shows that just about everyone, even "the worst kids in the world," has a chance at happiness. It's hard not to feel something when the pageant audience break out the candles and sing Silent Night. The novel actually has two sequels, The Best Halloween Ever and The Best School Year Ever, but this entry ends well-enough on its own. See it soon before all the big films crowd it out. You won't regret it.
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