Film Review – Oh. What. Enjoyment. (2025)

      Oh. What, Fun., 2025.

      Directed by Michael Showalter.

      Featuring Michelle Pfeiffer, Felicity Jones, Chloë Grace Moretz, Denis Leary, Dominic Sessa, Danielle Brooks, Devery Jacobs, Havana Rose Liu, Maude Apatow, Jason Schwartzman, Eva Longoria, and Joan Chen.

      SYNOPSIS:

      Claire plans an extraordinary Christmas, but her family neglects her. Once they realize her absence, their holiday is jeopardized until she returns to provide them with the celebration they deserve.

      There is no shortage of new Christmas films, and the latest seasonal release from Amazon, Michael Showalter’s Oh. What. Fun, boasts an impressive cast including Michelle Pfeiffer, Felicity Jones, Dominic Sessa, Eva Longoria, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Jason Schwartzman. Will this become a future holiday classic or is it one to overlook? Despite the strong ensemble, it feels like a missed opportunity, even with Pfeiffer’s commendable performance.

      Claire (Pfeiffer) is the matriarch of the family, who invests considerable effort into her Christmas preparations and dreams of winning a festive mom award on a show hosted by Zazzy Tims (Eva Longoria). As is their tradition, the family gathers around Claire, including her children Channing (Jones), Taylor (Moretz), and son Sammy (Sessa), who are all in low spirits following a recent breakup.

      Inevitably, things don’t unfold as planned; a series of comedic mishaps culminate in Claire being left behind by her family while they head to a festive event. Claire feels deeply disheartened by her family's failure to recognize the effort she puts in.

      The cast attempts to steer the film in the right direction, yet it often feels like a rehash of better-executed themes seen elsewhere. The large ensemble makes it difficult for viewers to form meaningful connections with the characters as we juggle Taylor’s developing relationship with Donna, Sammy’s breakup, and interactions with childhood friend Lizzie. In less than two hours, this is a lot to squeeze in, with the spotlight primarily on Claire and her exasperation.

      While there are moments of humor and chaos typical of holiday films, this strong cast deserved a more compelling effort. Observing Sessa here is quite a contrast to his impressive performance just two years prior in the modern classic The Holdovers, which stands as one of the best recent holiday films.

      Oh. What. Fun. serves as a decent movie to have playing in the background during the holiday season, but it falls short of the elite tier of Christmas films due to its uneven pacing, underdeveloped characters, and reliance on clichés. It underutilizes its all-star, diverse cast and intriguing concept, merely going through the motions.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★

      Chris Connor