A Very Jonas Christmas Movie (2025)

I am unfamiliar with The Jonas Brothers, but I am more aware of them nowadays than I was 5-10 years ago. I remember hearing a song on the radio that I quite enjoyed and then being surprised to hear that it was one of their hits. I have also been an unwilling reader of showbiz news/gossip about the divorce of Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner. That covers the extent of my Jonas Brothers knowledge. So I had no reason to want to check this out, aside from the fact that it was available to me.

The plot is very simple. The Jonas Brothers want to head home for the holidays. They can't wait to get away from one another, which is a major difference from how they used to feel. But one scheming Santa figures out exactly what they need. They don't want to get home right away. They want to get home while rediscovering that close brotherly bond they once had. Nick Jonas also just wants some peace and quiet, Kevin Jonas wants a chance to sing on a track, and Joe has a reputation that holds him back when he randomly encounters an old friend, Lucy (Chloe Bennet), he has a bit of a crush on.

Written by the talented duo of Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger (who have done a whole lot of TV work in the past few years, as well as the very enjoyable I Want You Back), the most important thing to consider about this potentially cheesy special is that it's actually quite funny. The Jonas Brothers seem to be very much aware of how they are perceived, both individually and as a band, and they deliver a number of lines that make themselves the butt of the gag, even if it all stays safely within the realms of gentle ribbing, as opposed to anything painfully cutting.

Director Jessica Yu, who previously helmed the enjoyable Quiz Lady (a different kind of road trip/family bond movie), is well aware of the assignment. Things move along briskly enough, there are well-staged musical numbers interspersed throughout the narrative, and viewers feel safe in the knowledge that any and all setbacks are just temporary on the way to an expected happy ending.

As for the brothers, I have to say that I expected them to be a bit more irritating onscreen. They do well with what they're asked to do, helped by the fact that they obviously interact more naturally with one another than they do with everyone else. Bennet is very good in her role, and there are scenes that make good use of Randall Park, Billie Lourd, and KJ Apa, as well as Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Santa), Kenny G (being Kenny G), and Will Ferrell (as a big fan who values the brothers ahead of his own family, who are portrayed onscreen here by his actual family).

Slick, not without the occasional hint of smugness, and with a satisfying message of seasonal goodwill, this is a very enjoyable Christmas special. It might not convert any haters of the band, but you never know. I'm certainly more open to their work than I was before this. 

7/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Prime Time: I Want You Back (2022)

Writers Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger have an extensive body of work already, most of it in the realm of television, and it's clear that they know the same rom-com rules that the rest of us are all too aware of. I Want You Back is, despite some of the more twisted moments, a fairly traditional rom-com. Fortunately, it's a very enjoyable one.

Charlie Day is Peter, a man heartbroken when his partner, Anne (Gina Rodriguez), tells him that they shouldn't be together any more. Jenny Slate is Emma, a woman thrown into the same level of emotional pain when her partner, Noah (Scott Eastwood), delivers the same message. As Noah is developing a relationship with a woman named Ginny (Clark Backo), and Anne is cosying up to a colleague, Logan (Manny Jacinto), Peter and Emma come together in their grief, discover the mutual cause of their pain, and team up to get their exes back. Peter aims to befriend Noah, getting close enough to start having conversations with him that will make him doubt the strength of his relationship with Ginny, while Emma thinks she can seduce Logan, therefore separating him and Anne. Things soon get a bit messy.

Director Jason Orley hasn't been at the helm of too many projects so far. His first feature was Big Time Adolescence, which was then followed by a Pete Davidson TV special. As Davidson also makes a cameo appearance here, that's three for three. Perhaps Orley thinks that he is his lucky charm. He might be right. I recall enjoying what I saw of Big Time Adolescence (I need to revisit it though, my viewing was interrupted and I forgot to pick up again where I left off) and this film is an easy viewing choice for those who like the leads, those who want a few laughs, and those who will watch anything that comes under the umbrella of "rom-com".

Day and Slate are great in the lead roles. Both manage to balance their personas just right, showing how they have been hurt and want to hit back without making themselves seem like truly horrible people (even though their plan is absolutely horrible). Day gets to deliver the easier laughs, but Slate has a lot of the subtle and smarter lines throughout. Eastwood isn't bad here either, if he keeps this up then I may stop dreading his appearance in every movie, and Backo is very sweet as the new woman that he has fallen in love with. Rodriguez has a lot less to do, often at the edge of certain scenes until she serves as the final punctuation, but Jacinto is hilariously narcissistic and egotistical. There's also a great turn from Luke David Blumm, playing a young boy named Trevor who ends up being helped by Slate's character.

The situations get gradually more ridiculous, and amusing, there’s a wonderful sub-plot revolving around a stage production of Little Shop Of Horrors, and the last few scenes are sweet and predictable. This is very solid rom-com territory, and Day and Slate show how well they work with this kind of material. They soften their personas slightly, but not in a way that will upset people who have been fans of them for a long time already.

An easy watch, and I hope both Day and Slate have many more upcoming projects to make good use of their talents.

7/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share