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| The Best Christmas Pageant Ever | |
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 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Dallas Jenkins |
| Screenplay by |
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| Based on | The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | C. Kim Miles |
| Edited by | John Quinn |
| Music by |
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| Production companies | Kingdom Story Company Lumenas Studios Media Capital Technologies Fletchet Entertainment |
| Distributed by | Lionsgate |
| Release dates |
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| Running time | 95 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $10 million |
| Box office | $39.6 million |
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is a 2024 American Christmas comedy-drama film directed by Dallas Jenkins, based on the 1972 novel by Barbara Robinson. Starring Judy Greer, Pete Holmes, Molly Belle Wright, and Lauren Graham, the plot centers around the Herdmans, a group of juvenile delinquent siblings who have unexpectedly found themselves starring in their small town's Christmas pageant.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival on November 2, 2024, and was released theatrically by Lionsgate on November 8, 2024. It received generally positive reviews from critics.
Plot
The Herdmans are six siblings with the reputation in the town for being the worst kids in the world. They are also labeled as Juvenile Delinquents who will most likely end up in jail. Beth Bradley, the narrator, wishes they would somehow disappear somewhere remote until she can grow up and move away.
The Herdmans are Imogen, the eldest, then Ralph, Leroy, Claude, Olly and Gladys. They are all assertive and brutish, bully everyone, steal and generally make everyone miserable.
On the town Christmas pageant's 75th anniversary, Beth's housewife mom Grace volunteers to be in charge as the woman who usually runs it has broken her legs. Beth's little brother Charlie tells his tormentor that at church they get treats and sweets, so the whole Herdman clan comes to Sunday school.
Surprisingly, they stay. But even more surprising, Imogen announces she will take the role of Mary in the local church pageant. She and her siblings offer themselves to take the biggest parts, bullying everyone else into silence. The shocked community is appalled that Grace gives them a chance to reform by letting them perform in the pageant.
At the first rehearsal Grace reads everyone the Christmas story, sensing that the Herdmans are not familiar with it. They are outraged by the story, suggesting they include a King Herod to kill, so they cut their first meeting short when chaos errupts.
At the Bradleys that night, they debate over the Herdmans' participation in the pageant. Dad Bob points out they will make the show more interestingly unpredictable and that they had some valid questions. The next morning, he takes their whole family as he delivers hams for the food drive. Watching how excited the Herdman's are upon receiving theirs seals Grace's determination to follow through with them in the pageant.
Imogen gets Beth to help her and her siblings to research the Christmas story in the library. To convince them to care about the pageant, she points out it is an opportunity to live someone else's life, like actors in a movie.
The final dress rehearsal is chaotic. First Imogen's brothers hide the baby, the choir are not in sync, a mother makes Imogen feel unworthy to be Mary, then a fire alarm is pulled. In the mayhem with the fire trucks, Imogen overhears many townspeople speaking badly of the Herdmans, so they disappear.
The next day, when Grace is not able to reach them by phone, Beth confronts Imogen at home. Although reminded that Grace fought for her family to have this opportunity, Imogen does not give her any assurance that she and her siblings will come. So that evening, when Grace opens the Christmas pageant, she freely admits she has no idea how it will go.
At the last minute the Herdmans do come, and give a certain authenticity to the show. Imogen sheds real tears, and many are moved. The family is accepted by the townspeople, and all but Leroy move on to do well. Ollie; a veterinarian, Claude; a public school teacher, Gladys; a flight attendant, Ralph; a pastor in the Midwest, and Imogen; an actress, then later a mother of five.
Cast
- Judy Greer as Grace Bradley
- Pete Holmes as Bob Bradley
- Molly Belle Wright as Beth Bradley
- Lauren Graham as the narrator / Older Beth Bradley
- Beatrice Schneider as Imogene Herdman
- Sebastian Billingsley-Rodriguez as Charlie Bradley
- Matthew Lamb as Claude Herdman
- Essek Moore as Ollie Herdman
- Kirk B.R. Woller as Reverend Hopkins
- Ewan Wood as Leroy Herdman
- Mason D. Nelligan as Ralph Herdman
- Kynlee Heiman as Gladys Herdman
- Nolan Grantham as Elmer Hopkins
- Vanessa Benavente as First-grade teacher
- Lorelei Olivia Mote as Alice Wendelken
- Danielle Hoetmer as Mrs. Wendelken
Production
In November 2023, it was reported that an adaptation of the 1972 children's novel was in the works at Lionsgate, with Dallas Jenkins directing the film. Principal photography began on December 6, 2023 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and wrapped on January 27, 2024.
Release
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever premiered in Los Angeles on November 2, 2024, and was released in the United States on November 8, 2024. It was previously scheduled for November 15, 2024 before moving forward a week earlier to avoid competition with another Christmas film, Red One.
Reception
Box office
In the United States and Canada, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever was released alongside Heretic, Elevation, Weekend in Taipei, and the wide expansion of Anora, and was projected to gross $6–8 million from 3,020 theaters in its opening weekend, with some projections going as high as $10 million. The film made $5 million on its first day, which included $2.3 million and $500,000 from Sunday and Thursday night previews, respectively, for a total preview gross of $2.8 million. It went on to debut to $10.8 million, finishing in third behind holdover Venom: The Last Dance and Heretic. The film made $5.3 million in its second weekend (a drop of 51.3%) and then $3.5 million in its third, finishing in third and sixth place, respectively. Its total worldwide gross is $38.7 million.
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 92% of 63 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.1/10. The website's consensus reads: "Decking the halls with unflappable charm and sincere spiritual conviction, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is winningly wholesome family entertainment." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 60 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, while those polled by PostTrak gave it an 88% overall positive score.
References
- "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (PG)". British Board of Film Classification. November 26, 2024. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
- ^ "'Venom: The Last Dance' $18M+, 'Christmas Pageant' & 'Heretic' Remain In Dead Heat For No. 2 With $12M+ Apiece – Veterans Day Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. November 12, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- ^ "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
- "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever – Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 10, 2023). "Lionsgate & Kingdom Story Company Team With 'The Chosen' Creator Dallas Jenkins For 'The Best Christmas Pageant Ever', 2024 Theatrical Release Planned". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 26, 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
- "What's Filming". ACTRA Manitoba. Archived from the original on January 21, 2024. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
- Boyle, Gavin (December 19, 2023). "Dallas Jenkins' THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER Begins Production". Movieguide | The Family Guide to Movies & Entertainment. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
- Klett, Leah MarieAnn (November 5, 2024). "Red carpet premiere of 'The Best Christmas Pageant Ever' celebrates family, spirit of the season". Christian Post. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
- D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 9, 2024). "'The Crow' Flies To August, Halle Berry Pic 'Never Let Go' Sets Fall, 'Saw XI' To Slice 2025, 'Best Christmas Pageant Ever' Earlier – Lionsgate Release Date Changes". Deadline. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
- D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 20, 2023). "Dwayne Johnson & Chris Evans Seven Bucks Amazon MGM Movie 'Red One' To Jingle In Theaters Next Year". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
- "Hugh Grant's 'Heretic' Could Scare Off 'Venom 3' This Weekend; Curtains Lift On 'The Best Christmas Pageant Ever' – Box Office Preview". Deadline Hollywood. November 8, 2024. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
- D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 10, 2024). "'Venom: The Last Dance' $16M, 'Christmas Pageant' & 'Heretic' In Fierce Battle For No. 2 With $11M+ Apiece — Veterans Day Box Office". Deadline. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
- D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 17, 2024). "Dwayne Johnson & Chris Evans' $200M+ Christmas Action Movie 'Red One' Opening To $34M: Is It A Bomb Or A Streamer's Rounding Error? — Saturday AM Box Office". Deadline. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
- D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 24, 2024). "'Wicked' & 'Gladiator II' AKA 'Glicked' Fuel $205M Combined Weekend, Best Pre-Thanksgiving Frame In 11 Years — Sunday AM Box Office Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
- "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
- "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
External links
| Works directed by Dallas Jenkins | |
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| Films |
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| Television |
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