The Christmas Lottery

Growing up, I never really paid much mind to Christmas movies but in the past few years, I have started to consume them heavily. This movie was exactly what I look for. It is at it's heart a movie about a family and that is often what I'm thinking of around the Holidays. The cast is superb. Sure, if you're like me, you might be instantly attracted because of Reginald VelJohnson (who is excellent) but the rest of the cast really brings this one home. Kay Washington as the matriarch of the family strikes a perfect tone, reminding me of my own family history with, well, that would be a spoiler. The daughters (played by Candiace Dillard, Brave Williams and Asia'h Epperson) are so great, each highlighting different problems and personalities. The supporting cast is impossible not to like (even Spyder!). Do yourself a favor and make this part of your own Christmas story.

Are the girls adopted? They are all so different- except for the hilarious false eyelashes. One of them is a strange yellow colour and has an odd colour (yellow) hair Veronica Lake style and eyes so stretched she can surely see around corners.

I was looking forward to this but the cast is too strange. What is the guy with the tattoo tee shirt. Yikes. Dad can't remember any of their names; it's 'baby' or 'sweet pea'.

Mum looks a fright and sadly has memory issues.

Ripped jeans and strange clothes, strange faces and weird eye lifts are too much of a distraction.

The awful kid Carol singers- yikes

The jaunty music gives the impression of a comedy-it's not.

This is everything you expect in a Christmas movie. All the feels! A family with deep issues comes together over a holiday crises, and discovers that love is the most important thing.

The twist is that it deals with a very real issue, dementia, and the happily ever after ending doesn't include a magical cure. AMAZING performance by Kay Megan Washington as the mother who is (mostly) aware that everything is slipping away.

Bad acting, omg bad. Bad writing, directing. As if someone handed out cameras in 2nd grade class and said make us something. Gag me with a candycane

Great little film this. Decent storyline, well-acted, and genuinely funny and touching in places. I think most people can relate to complicated family relationships and squabbles but the likeable characters here mean you're rooting for the whole family. Much better than the average christmas movies that are churned out this time of year.