MUBI

Christmas can make people go all soft. Even Scrooge succumbed to the Christmas spirit in the end. I’m afraid that Bent Hamer, who gave us the quirky comedy-dramas such as Eggs, Kitchen Stories and Horton, has produced a gooey Christmas pudding of a film. I thought I would never use the words sentimental or pretentious about this wry director’s films (both were previously kept just beneath the surface but kept in check), yet they are the adjectives that come to mind. The top-and-tale Kosovo story in this episodic mish-mash, is the most pretentious part. By referring to Kosovo, directors invite audiences to consider them as serious about the world. As does the relationship between a Muslim girl and a Christian boy. The sentimentality comes from an elderly couple, an ex footballer down on his luck, the birth of a baby (on Xmas!!), lots of stars in the sky… the few comedy bits are what Hamer does best. A baby Jesus taken from a crib… an estranged husband disguised as Santa to be near his kids… well not really hilarious. Humbug!